I-Corps: A Novel Knee Sleeve that Provides Dynamic Motion Restraint to Abnormal Loading

I-Corps：一种新型护膝，可为异常负载提供动态运动约束

• 批准号: 2054729
• 负责人: Sandra Shultz
• 金额: $ 5万
• 依托单位: University of North Carolina Greensboro
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2021
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2021-01-15 至 2022-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2054729&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Corps; Novel; Knee; Sleeve; Provides

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is the development of evidence-based interventions to reduce the risk of musculoskeletal injury associated with greater knee joint laxity. Knee injuries account for ~50% of all acute musculoskeletal injuries in physically active individuals and military personnel and can result in substantial health care costs and reduced quality of life. Individuals (particularly young females) who have greater knee joint laxity have more difficulty in stabilizing the knee during sport activity and have a greater risk of knee ligament injury. Thus, therapeutic interventions that enhance functional joint stability in those with excessive joint laxity are critically needed from both an injury prevention and rehabilitation standpoint. The proposed innovation is intended to fulfill this critical need by designing an external knee support to enhance joint protection and ensure safe motion limits are not exceeded during physical activity. When injury does occur, the technology also may be used to protect and support the knee while ligaments are healing. The technology may function as a stand-alone protective device but, ideally, would be used in conjunction with a comprehensive injury prevention or rehabilitation neuromuscular training program designed to increase functional stability of the knee. This I-Corps project is based on the development of a knee support that is customized to an individual’s knee laxity profile to provide dynamic motion limits when prescribed thresholds are reached. While external knee supports are readily available on the market, initial customer discovery research suggests a gap in the market for devices focused on injury prevention and the treatment of excessive knee joint laxity. Project activities will: 1) test the hypothesis that the proposed technology addresses an important gap in injury prevention and rehabilitation, 2) solidify the target market and customers who would most benefit from the technology, and 3) refine the value proposition of external knee supports, including what the pain points are, and what the desired features and performance characteristics are that would enhance the perceived value. This effort also will advance knowledge of the knee brace industry including key manufacturers, modes of distribution, and potential price points based on other devices customers currently purchase or recommend or are prescribed to them. The potential to apply this innovation to other joints of the body also will be explored.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

这个i-Corps项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是开发基于证据的干预措施，以减少与膝关节松弛相关的肌肉骨骼损伤的风险。膝关节损伤约占从事体力活动的个人和军事人员所有急性肌肉骨骼损伤的50%，并可能导致大量的医疗费用和生活质量下降。膝关节松弛程度较大的个人(特别是年轻女性)在体育活动中稳定膝关节的难度更大，并有更大的膝关节韧带损伤风险。因此，从损伤预防和康复的角度来看，迫切需要在关节过度松弛的患者中加强功能性关节稳定性的治疗干预。拟议的创新旨在通过设计外部膝盖支撑来满足这一关键需求，以增强关节保护，并确保在体力活动期间不超过安全运动限制。当确实发生损伤时，该技术还可以用于在韧带愈合期间保护和支撑膝盖。这项技术可以作为一种独立的保护装置使用，但理想情况下，应与旨在提高膝关节功能稳定性的全面伤害预防或康复神经肌肉训练计划结合使用。这个i-Corps项目是基于开发一种膝盖支撑，该支撑是为个人的膝盖松弛轮廓定制的，当达到规定的阈值时提供动态运动限制。虽然外置式膝关节支架在市场上随处可见，但初步的客户发现研究表明，专注于预防伤害和治疗膝关节过度松弛的设备市场存在缺口。项目活动将：1)测试建议的技术解决了伤害预防和康复方面的一个重要缺口的假设；2)巩固目标市场和将从该技术中受益最大的客户；3)细化膝关节外支撑的价值主张，包括痛点是什么，以及能够提高感知价值的所需功能和性能特征。这一努力还将增进对膝关节支架行业的了解，包括主要制造商、分销模式，以及基于客户目前购买、推荐或开给他们的其他设备的潜在价格点。还将探索将这一创新应用于身体其他关节的潜力。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。