The hazards of skiing.
Background
FRANCE: 46000 knee injuries (sprains and tearing of ligament) and lower leg injuries (fracture) per year.
The Product
The KNEEMAX® is a protective device for the knee joint and the lower leg for expert skiers, as well as for recreational skiers.
Target of the KNEEMAX® product:
To significantly reduce the risk of injury whilst skiing.
Purposes of the KNEEMAX® product:
- To reduce the risk of tearing a ligament, especially the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).
- To reduce the risk of fractures of the lower leg.
- To protect the patella and the lower leg against impacts.
Collaborations
- 4 years of R&D in collaboration with a French research team (CARMA).
- French Ski Federation ("Fédération française de ski" FFS).
- Joint research laboratory working on applied biomechanics (UMRT 24 IFSTTAR/Univmed).
Intellectual property:
Functions of the KNEEMAX® product:
KNEEMAX® improves the response of the ski bindings during non-physiological movements.
- Reduces the risk of injury of the anterior cruciate ligament by limiting the internal or external rotation of the lower legwith regards to the femoral bone.
- Reduces the risk of significantly twisting the lower leg bone with regards to the ski boot, which could result in a fracture.
- Protects the patella and the lower leg against impacts, and adequately replaces conventional slalom skiing protections.
Technical specifications of the KNEEMAX® product:
- High modulus carbon fibre reinforced epoxy composite material.
- Weight: < 500g including accessories.
- Can support a binding torque of 180 N.m. (up to a setting of 17 on the toe-piece, ISO 8061:2004).
- Custom made knee adjustment, anatomical fitting.
- Ease of use, 10 seconds to fix it onto the leg, 5 seconds to remove it from the leg.
- Textile strap containing a silicon gel, for utmost comfort, in order to fix the KNEEMAX® product to the lower limb.
- Safety and Quick release buckle made from a light aluminium alloy specifically designed for KNEEMAX®.
- Textile strap made from DYNEEMA® fibres ensuring a safe link between the KNEEMAX® and the ski boot. (DYNEEMA is a registered trademark of DSM.)
- Alpine skiers maintain a high level of performance.
- KNEEMAX® fits onto any type of ski boots.
- The KNEEMAX® art designs can be personalized, for example for the National skiing team + sponsors.