This master thesis deals with the design and development of a combined sports performance and ankle rehabilitation product for athletes sustaining ankle sprains. An ankle sprain is the most common sports injury accounting for 20-40% of all sports injuries. Additionally, it is found that up to 80% of athletes who have sprained their ankle will re-sprain the same ankle at least once more, often due to inadequate rehabilitation. Currently there is a variety of ankle sprain rehabilitation equipment on the market, however, athletes are found to differ from other people in the way that they are motivated and the functional level that they need to be rehabilitated to.
Athlon is a smart and adaptive ankle rehabilitation product system enabling everyday athletes to return to their active life and prior physical performance level following an ankle sprain. Building on the well-known rehabilitation benefits of traditional balance boards, Athlon takes sports injury rehabilitation to the next level; supporting the home training throughout the rehabilitation phases and exceeding the physical challenge level of other rehabilitation products in order to accommodate for the specific rehabilitation needs of athletes.
A central focus of the project is facilitation of correct and efficient home rehabilitation, targeting and promotion of the intrinsic nature of athletes’ training motivation as well as incorporation of elements of identity, lifestyle and performance enhancement found to be valued within the sports context.