Cobra: Ankle Instability Measurement Device

The rate of ankle sprains in military personnel is nearly five times greater than that reported in the civilian population. To minimize the impact of these injuries on Warfighter readiness and lethality, effective preventative and rehabilitative methods are required. However, to prescribe accurate rehabilitative methods clinicians must be able to measure ankle instability (a hallmark of ankle sprain injuries) objectively and quantitatively. Unfortunately, current practices rely on self-reported questionnaires, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), radiographs, and/or subjective assessment by an experienced clinician. These non-quantitative methods make it difficult to track recovery or assess the success of specific treatment plans. Therefore, a clear need exists for a portable device to objectively assess destabilizing ankle injuries. To address this need, Luna Labs USA, LLC, partners at JAK Labs, and military and civilian foot-ankle experts (Naval Health Research Center, UVA) are developing a portable device to assess ankle instability.