103a1VCU Better Knee Brace

Better Knee Brace
Project Team: Ogechi Gbujie, Evrosina Isaac, Erika Mack, Hank Madden
Biomedical Engineering
Project Number: BME 107
Faculty Advisor: Henry Donahue, Ph.D.
Sponsor: QL+

This project’s purpose is to work with QL+ to develop a knee brace for a former paratrooper, Mat. Mat suffered soft tissue damage after a parachute malfunction, resulting in bone spurs, arthritis, and meniscus injuries. Mat wants a brace that doesn't slip during activity. The team’s objective is to develop a brace that Mat can use during daily activities, including sledge hockey. To create this brace, requirements that need to be considered are stabilization of articulating bones and patella, conformation to his musculature, and impact durability. To determine what direction we would take, we looked at products and patents such as Mat’s current brace, and braces designed for knee surgery recovery. Patents that incorporated vibration, temperature changes and arthritis relief were also investigated. Our design is an amalgam brace, which is a combination of design ideas. The amalgam brace has a cooling component, a patellar stabilization component, and a belt-style tightening system to prevent slippage. Material tensile testing was performed on thermoplastic material used for the chassis of the brace: one layer, two layers, and three layers of the thermoplastic. According to results, the three specimens were able to withstand forces approximately 200N, 450N, and 700N respectively. The two and three-layer materials were sufficient for the load the knee brace is meant to withstand, but the three-layer design would hinder movement. We decided that, by sacrificing durability for flexibility and comfort, Mat would have a more efficient and better functioning brace to assist in rehabilitation.