SCH: Smart User-Effective Data-Enabled (SUEDE) Shoe for Ankle Injury Prevention

拟议的研究与公共卫生相关，并与NIAMS的使命很好地结合在一起，因为它 解决了提高预防脚踝扭伤有效性的实质性需要，这是最重要的 常见的肌肉骨骼损伤，会严重影响体力活动和生活质量。而当 外部被动支撑，如脚踝捆扎和支撑，是最广泛使用的方法 预防脚踝扭伤，长期使用会使患者过度依赖被动和恒定 支持，这会导致脚踝肌肉和软组织萎缩。此外，这种方法不仅限制了 内翻-外翻运动，也包括背屈-趾屈运动，这反过来又可能改变自然 腿部生物力学。该项目旨在研究一种独特的智能鞋系统，使用集成的 工程、计算和行为科学的科学解决方案，以克服这些限制和 为有脚踝受伤风险的个人提供更好的支持。我们的具体目标是：(1)设计和 实施一种智能鞋系统，它集成了对生物力学数据的稳健、实时估计和 来自可穿戴传感器的活动识别，该传感器具有能够主动调整刚性的软执行器 踝关节支撑；(2)对健康人的踝关节僵硬和足部负荷轨迹进行量化和建模 以及有脚踝扭伤风险的人；(3)将伤害预测算法和 提供主动脚踝支持以防止扭伤的闭环反馈控制器；以及(4)改进 开发适用于自由生活使用的算法，并设计直观的移动用户界面，提供 实时总结性伤害风险指标。我们将验证和评估所提出的智能鞋系统 通过与临床合作伙伴密切合作，确保系统针对最佳临床定制 在头脑中考虑融合。智能鞋系统具有临床意义，因为它将使临床医生能够更好地 了解各种体力活动中的足踝力学及其与踝关节损伤风险的关系 并帮助他们及时向用户提供有效和总结性的反馈，以推广他们的 坚持脚踝损伤预防策略。系统的成功开发和严谨 对其以患者和临床为中心的感知效用的评估将为后续临床奠定基础 专门旨在调查保留/促进脚踝的干预措施的长期效果的试验 健康和提高对临床建议的行为依从性。 相关性(请参阅说明)： 这项研究解决了通过以下方式提高预防脚踝扭伤有效性的实质性需求 推出一种智能鞋系统，可以根据需要主动支撑脚踝，而不会阻碍自然 脚踝运动，并提供具有受伤风险指标的直观用户界面，以促进用户遵守 临床处方。这一解决方案预计将大大增强当前 练习被动的脚踝支撑或绷带，有助于促进脚踝健康的长期目标。

The proposed research is relevant to public health and well aligned with the mission of NIAMS because it addresses the substantial need to improve effectiveness in prevention of ankle sprains, one of the most common musculoskeletal injuries that can significantly impact physical activity and quality of life. While external passive supports, such as ankle taping and bracing, are the most widely used approaches to prevent ankle sprains, their long-term use makes patients overly reliant on the passive and constant support, which leads to ankle muscle and soft tissue atrophy. Furthermore, this approach not only restricts inversion-eversion motion but also dorsiflexion-plantarflexion motion, which in turn may alter natural lower-extremity biomechanics. This project seeks to study a unique smart shoe system, using integrated scientific solutions of engineering, computing and behavioral science, to overcome these limitations and provide enhanced support for individuals at risk of ankle injury. Our specific aims are: (1) to design and implement a smart shoe system that integrates robust, real-time estimation of biomechanical data and activity recognition from wearable sensors with soft actuators capable of actively adjusting the stiffness of the ankle brace; (2) to quantify and model ankle stiffness and foot loading trajectory in healthy individuals as well as in people at risk of ankle sprains; (3) to integrate an injury prediction algorithm and a closed-loop feedback controller that provides active ankle support to prevent sprains; and (4) to refine the developed algorithms for free-living use and design an intuitive mobile user interface that provides summative injury risk metrics in real-time. We will validate and evaluate the proposed smart shoe system by closely engaging with clinical partners to ensure the system is tailored toward optimal clinical integration in mind. The smart shoe system is clinically significant because it will allow clinicians to better understand foot-ankle mechanics and their correlation to ankle injury risk during various physical activities and help them provide effective and summative feedback to the users in a timely manner to promote their adherence to ankle injury prevention strategies. Successful development of the system and rigorous assessment of its patient- and clinic-centered perceived utility will lay the groundwork for follow-up clinical trials specifically aimed at investigating the long-term effect of interventions on preserving/promoting ankle health and enhancing behavioral adherence to clinical recommendations. RELEVANCE (See instructions): This research addresses the substantial need to improve effectiveness in prevention of ankle sprains by introducing a smart shoe system that actively supports the ankle as needed without hindering natural ankle motion and provides an intuitive user interface with injury risk metrics to promote user adherence to clinical prescriptions. This solution is expected to substantially enhance the effectiveness of the current practice of passive ankle bracing or taping and contribute to the long-term goal of promoting ankle health.