Save your ankles with just a simple pair of socks
Print Edition
AS people pay more attention to exercise and fitness, sports injuries are also becoming an increasing concern. Seven high school students at the Shanghai Foreign Language School Affiliated to Shanghai International Studies University have announced that they had developed socks to protect ankles.
“In previous publications, we found that the rate of people taking physical exercises regularly has increased to nearly 59.3 percent from over 11.5 percent in 1995,” said Bai Yufan, leader of the team. “But the number of people who are treated with sport injuries is also increasing by 7 percent each year on average, while ankle is one of the most easily hurt parts.”
Recovery for ankle injuries is hard and long.
In the past a few months, Bai and his friends talked to professors at medicine schools and doctors at hospitals about how ankles work and ways to develop special socks.
Bai explained that their products used special knitting to stabilize the ankle and the foot arches to avoid sprain.
“We made about 70 pairs of socks in total to get to what we have now,” he said. “They are suitable for common physical exercises and daily walking. By reducing the burden on feet, they can make walking and running more comfortable.”
Bai said the socks are permeable and absorb sweat fast. They also contain traditional Chinese medicines, such as mint or sarcandra glabra, which can make the feet feel cool or warm respectively according to the needs of wearers.
The team received 5,000 yuan (US$725) from a company to produce prototypes.
“We will distribute them to some local rehabilitation centers, where injured athletes and amateurs can try and give us feedback,” said Bai. “We will also donate some to senior citizens at local nursing homes.”
They will also enter the Students for the Advancement of Global Entrepreneurship competition to attract more attention and assistance to further develop their product.
They also offer tips for protecting ankles during exercises, on their WeChat account “SPOCKER.”
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