Football Knee Braces

Have you ever watched a football game on TV? Football players, especially linemen, often injure their knees, and these injuries can have serious long term effects. Players who have had knee injuries are likely to have joint pain, stiffness, and a limited range of motion. They are also more likely to develop conditions such as osteoarthritis, a type of arthritis that makes it difficult to complete simple tasks, such as climbing stairs or standing up from a chair. This means that players often have a hard time completing these simple motions after they are finished playing football. The current knee braces do not completely protect the players’ knee and are often uncomfortable because they are bulky, with many different straps.

Students will design and test a brace that will protect the leg and still allow the athlete to play.  The design will allow full range of motion front-to-back and prevent leg bones moving side-to-side separately.  The design will also be comfortable to wear and easy to put on and take off.

 A wooden stand holding up a white tube with the words "femur" on it

Football Knee Braces TEK8 Student Guide

The student handout will be given to all students working on the design
challenge. It gives a brief recap of the story, it helps the students identify what they are attempting to achieve, and it recaps the design process.

Football Knee Braces TEK8 Instructor’s Guide

This Instructor’s Guide provides the instructor additional information on how to run the design challenge with alternatives for materials and test setups as well as information to help make the design challenge a good educational experience.

Telling the Story Video

The Telling the Story Video conveys the societal impact of the student’s research that is the basis for the design challenge and will set the problem-solving context for students.

Design Challenge Video

The Design Challenge Video leads students through the design process. It indicates materials available, states what the criteria are for success and any constraints. It also gives a second ‘level’ of the design challenge that allows ‘early completers’ to move on to a slightly more difficult challenge.

PowerPoint Presentation #1

Power Point Presentation #2

The presentation can be used in conjunction or in place of the Design Challenge Video.