Abstract

Successful recovery from a lateral ankle sprain often requires the use of several different ankle braces during different stages of rehabilitation. During the initial time period after the injury, a highly restrictive ankle-foot orthosis or walking boot may be implemented to severely limit lateral ankle movement. As the ankle heals, progressively "softer" braces are used to gradually return function to the patient. Using multiple braces is costly, and current braces require periodic manual adjustments by the user in order to maintain support, as they tend to loosen and shift out of place over time. The present design of a self-adjusting ankle brace aims to provide consistent support to the user's ankle during exercise. A pressure-sustaining system gives the user control over the stiffness level of the brace, allowing the user to obtain different levels of ankle support from the same single product. In summary, the self-adjusting ankle brace ensures that a constant level of ankle support is provided during activity, and allows the user to specify that level of support based on the severity of injury and current stage of recovery. This versatility should facilitate a steady progression towards regaining full ankle functionality after suffering a lateral ankle sprain.