The faux-hawk was serious, but so was the injury.
This is me in high school, back when team-bonding faux-hawks were the rage, playing the sport I love. Shortly after this, my Senior season was nearly ruined by a high ankle sprain that tore all three tendons of my outer ankle.
Why didn’t I wear a brace in the first place?
Braces are either soft and unsupportive or secure and bulky. Neither option is optimal for soccer players who need to use every inch of their foot to contact the ball.
The Stirrup
The most supportive brace is a taped ankle due a key component called the stirrup. This strip of tape runs up both sides of the ankle and provides the main lateral stability.
Through mockup testing, it became apparent where the pain points were.
These points are highlighted in orange.
The Final Design.
Based on the feedback received from from the mockups, I was able to make refinements on the essential features and took some time to consider the colors and materials. I chose a black webbing base to be compatible with any color uniform with orange and reflective accents to visually pop during game play.
Packaging.
