New athletic shoe designed to prevent ankle sprains
07/09/2010
Built-in straps within the wall of the shoe help to anchor the ankle, which prevents rollover injuries. The trainer also incorporates "anti-rollover bumpers" on the outside of the sole.
Former NY Knicks and All Star shooting guard, John Starks says: "In 2009, [the] NBA teams lost $15 million in revenues alone from this specific injury. It happens every year. This is the first shoe I've ever seen that could change all that. I have had many ankle sprains in my career and they were debilitating, painful and made getting back to the court very difficult.
“The technology that Ektio has created in order to protect players from rolling their ankles or the severe injuries that result when players jump and land on another player's foot is remarkable. I wish that Ektio was available when I played. This will help players stay healthy and prolong their careers. I believe so much in what Ektio is doing that I've joined the company."
According to the company founder, Barry Katz, the shoe has undergone a series of clinical studies at Drexel University. These studies, he claims showed significantly less ankle inversion compared with a standard basketball shoe. He adds that there did not appear to be any restriction of movement needed to play the game at a high level.
He explains: “In preliminary studies, it was shown to be superior to ankle braces. A second study at the Hospital for Special Surgery in NYC showed that despite the anchoring of the ankle to the shoe, useful ankle motions in activities necessary for basketball (running, jumping and cutting) were not inhibited compared to a standard basketball shoe with and without tape and compared to barefoot athletes. Our ability to protect against shoe rollover inversions while, at the same time not adversely affecting athletic performance, is the key to the product's revolutionary benefits."
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