Abstract: An ankle brace may be convertible so it can be used at various stages of treatment, from functioning as a splint when the ankle is first injured, to functioning as a pivoting, relatively non-restrictive protective brace after the ankle has fully healed. The brace also may have a pivoting buckle with the range of pivoting motion of the buckle being limited to provide for the brace to adapt to the wearer while still providing stability and support.

Abstract: A motion analysis system (10) in which sensor elements (20) attached to movable body segments record movement parameters including angular velocity and acceleration. A control device (40) receives the movement parameters and determines an overall motion of the movable body segments. The overall motion is analysed against an acceptable motion model to determine whether the overall motion is within acceptable limits. The sensor elements (20) and control device (40) are lightweight and can be worn during normal movement activities thereby allowing monitoring of work-based activities, such as lifting or typing. The invention is useful for detecting and correcting problems leading to lower back disorders and repetitive strain injuries.