Decreasing Preventable Ankle Injuries in High School Sports
.png)
Company Overview
Rheohero designs ankle braces for athletes. The braces merge stability with mobility to provide comfortable support during athletic activity. Their mission is to decrease the number of preventable injuries in sports through products and resources.
Project Overview
The company is exploring using a combination of hardware (ankle braces) and software (an app) to address the prevalence of ankle injuries in sports.
Role
Timeline
Product Designer
One month
Tools
Approach
Figma
Wireframing, Personas, Prototyping, User Interviews, Business Analysis, Competitive Analysis, High-fid UI Design, User Research, Secondary Research, User-Centric Design Thinking, Information Architecture, Interaction Design
The Problem
Ankle injuries account for over 20% of all injuries among US high school athletes across 9 sports. 25% of all athletic injuries are ankle related, and there are 27,000 ankle sprains in the US every day. Ankle injuries can be devastating for athletes and result in decreased playing time, training setbacks, high risk of re-injury, or an end to their athletic career.
Research & Problem Statement
User Research
I conducted user research to understand the needs, pain points, and behaviors of high school athletes regarding ankle injuries and gathered insights into their training routines, injury history, motivation, and challenges related to ankle injury prevention.
SAMPLE QUESTIONS What sports or physical activities do you participate in? Have you ever experienced an ankle injury while participating in sports? If yes, please describe the circumstances and the impact it had on your athletic performance. Are you familiar with ankle warmups, mobility exercises, stability drills, and strengthening workouts? Have you ever incorporated these exercises into your training routine? What challenges or difficulties do you face in implementing ankle injury prevention exercises into your training routine? What resources or guidance do you currently rely on for ankle injury prevention? How important is ankle injury prevention to you? What motivates you to prioritize ankle health in your training? How do you track your progress or set goals related to ankle health and injury prevention? Are there any specific features or functionalities you would like to see in an app dedicated to ankle injury prevention? How do you prefer to consume educational content related to ankle injury prevention? (e.g., videos, articles, illustrations) What would be your expectations from an app that aims to decrease ankle injuries and provide exercises, tracking, and educational resources?
INTERVIEW INSIGHTS Injury prevention is very important to athletes; injuries cause halts in their training, take them out of important games and affect their college recruitment chances Many athletes are unknowledgeable about the prevalence of ankle injuries in their sport Athletes struggle to remain consistent with warmups when they don't see the point in them. They see them as something they have to get through to be able to start practice Athletes learn warmups from their coaches and complete them as a team. They sometimes skip full warmups during self-guided workouts Athletes don't typically worry about ankle injuries unless they've had one in the past Athletes with a past ankle injury worry about re-injury, which can affect them mentally during a game Athletes that aren't seeing a physical therapist regularly are less likely to stick to their ankle rehab routine. They like to have someone to push them to finish the exercises because they are tedious Many athletes were unsure what workouts they should do to prevent injuries outside of what they learn from their coach Athletes use YouTube and fitness apps like the Nike Training App to learn new strength and conditioning exercises Athletes want a solution that allows them to customize their workouts, educates them on injury prevention (similar to a physical therapist), and encourages consistency
User Personas
I created two user personas based on the insights from my user research.
Empathy Maps
I created empathy maps for the two personas to better understand and prioritize user needs.
Competitive Analysis
I researched direct and indirect competitors in the fitness space to identify opportunities for Rheohero. I looked at current solutions, general strength and conditioning apps, rehabilitation apps, and ankle exercise-focused apps.
.png)
Opportunities
My competitor analysis highlighted the need for curated and structured ankle exercises, personalized workouts, educational resources, and progress tracking features to enhance the user experience and maximize injury prevention benefits.
DESIGN & FEATURE OPPORTUNTIES Comprehensive Content and Expertise: Offer a comprehensive library of ankle exercises, warm-ups, mobility drills, stability exercises, and strengthening routines, accompanied by expert advice from sports physicians or physical therapists. Providing a diverse range of exercises and credible information will position the app as a reliable and authoritative source for ankle injury prevention. Personalization and Customization: Focus on personalization by allowing users to tailor their workout plans based on their specific sport, fitness level, and individual needs. Customizable features, such as goal setting and exercise intensity adjustments, will enhance user engagement and satisfaction. Progress Tracking and Analytics: Implement a robust progress tracking system that records and visualizes users' improvements over time. Offer data-driven insights and analytics to help users understand their progress, set new goals, and stay motivated to continue using the app. Gamification and Rewards: Integrate gamification elements, such as achievements, badges, challenges, and leaderboards, to make the app more engaging and encourage users to stay consistent with their exercises. Rewarding user milestones and accomplishments will foster a sense of achievement and loyalty. Integration with Wearable Devices: Offer seamless integration with popular wearable devices or fitness trackers that focus on ankle movement, stability, and performance. This integration will provide users with real-time data and enhance their workout experiences. Educational Content and Tips: In addition to exercise routines, provide engaging educational content about ankle injury prevention, proper form, and tips for optimizing ankle health. Well-presented educational resources will demonstrate the app's commitment to user well-being. User Community and Support: Create a user community within the app, enabling athletes to interact, share experiences, and support each other in their injury prevention journey. Providing excellent customer support and responsive assistance will further enhance user satisfaction. Offline Accessibility: Offer offline functionality, allowing users to access previously viewed content and perform exercises without an internet connection. This feature will enable athletes to use the app during outdoor or low-connectivity activities.
Preventing Ankle Injuries: The Research
Part of my research involved looking at health studies and doctor recommendations on how athletes can prevent ankle injuries in sports. Some of the relevant tips were:
​
-
Warm up your ankles properly before workouts
-
Follow an ankle-strengthening program
-
Work on ankle mobility and balance
-
Make time for static stretches after physical activity
-
Use a brace or tape to prevent recurrent injuries
-
Use proper injury treatment methods
Problem Definition
The research revealed that many high school athletes lacked proper ankle warmup routines, exercises, and guidance to prevent ankle injuries effectively. There was a need for a comprehensive solution that not only provided the necessary exercises but also tracked progress, offered personalized workouts, and educated athletes on the importance and purpose of each exercise.
How might we provide a comprehensive library of rehab exercises for specific ankle injuries, offering tailored guidance and support to athletes in their recovery process?
​
How might we make it easier for athletes to integrate ankle warm-ups, mobility exercises, stability drills, and strengthening exercises into their existing fitness routines?
​
How might we personalize the app experience to cater to different sports, fitness levels, and individual needs when creating custom ankle workout plans?
​
How might we effectively educate and inform athletes about the importance and benefits of ankle injury prevention exercises to increase user engagement and adherence?
​
How might we provide clear and concise instructions, visual demonstrations, and audio cues within the app to ensure users perform ankle exercises with proper form and technique?
​
How might we track and visualize user progress and improvements over time to motivate and encourage athletes in their ankle injury prevention journey?
​
How might we incorporate Rheohero's current product into the experience of the app?
Ideation
After defining the problem, I brainstormed possible solutions. I prioritized these ideas based on their effectiveness in addressing user and market needs and the feasibility of implementation.
How might we make it easier for athletes to integrate ankle warm-ups, mobility exercises, stability drills, and strengthening exercises into their existing fitness routines?
-
Idea 1: Develop a library of pre-designed warm-up routines and exercise circuits that can be easily incorporated into various fitness regimens.
-
Idea 2: Implement a reminder feature that sends push notifications to users, prompting them to perform ankle exercises at specific times during their day or before engaging in physical activities.
-
Idea 3: Create short video tutorials demonstrating quick and effective ankle exercises that can be seamlessly integrated into busy schedules.
​​
How might we personalize the app experience to cater to different sports, fitness levels, and individual needs when creating custom ankle workout plans?
-
Idea 1: Introduce a questionnaire or assessment at the beginning to understand the user's sport, fitness level, and specific ankle concerns, generating tailored exercise recommendations.
-
Idea 2: Offer customizable workout templates that allow users to select exercises based on their preferences, goals, and activity levels, providing a personalized ankle workout plan.
-
Idea 3: Incorporate machine learning algorithms that adapt and adjust the exercise recommendations based on the user's progress, feedback, and individual performance data.
​
How might we effectively educate and inform athletes about the importance and benefits of ankle injury prevention exercises to increase user engagement and adherence?
-
Idea 1: Create interactive and engaging educational content within the app, such as animated videos or infographics, to explain the significance of ankle injury prevention exercises and their impact on performance.
-
Idea 2: Provide informative articles or blog posts within the app, covering topics like common ankle injuries, prevention strategies, and success stories of athletes who incorporated ankle exercises into their routine.
-
Idea 3: Collaborate with renowned sports physicians or physical therapists to offer expert insights and tips on ankle injury prevention through the app's educational resources.
​​
How might we provide clear and concise instructions, visual demonstrations, and audio cues within the app to ensure users perform ankle exercises with proper form and technique?
-
Idea 1: Incorporate high-quality videos demonstrating each ankle exercise, emphasizing proper form, technique, and common mistakes to avoid.
-
Idea 2: Provide step-by-step written instructions accompanied by visual cues or diagrams to guide users through the correct execution of ankle exercises.
-
Idea 3: Include audio cues or voice prompts that provide real-time feedback and guidance during the performance of ankle exercises, ensuring users maintain proper form throughout.
​​
How might we track and visualize user progress and improvements over time to motivate and encourage athletes in their ankle injury prevention journey?
-
Idea 1: Develop a progress tracking feature that allows users to input and track metrics such as ankle flexibility, strength, stability, and range of motion over time.
-
Idea 2: Generate visual graphs or charts that display users' progress and improvements, providing them with a visual representation of their journey and motivating them to continue their ankle injury prevention efforts.
-
Idea 3: Introduce achievement badges or milestones to reward users for reaching specific goals or consistently performing ankle exercises, fostering a sense of accomplishment and encouraging continued engagement.
​
How might we incorporate Rheohero's current product into the experience of the app?
-
Idea 1: Create a seamless integration with the company's e-commerce platform, allowing users to browse and purchase ankle braces directly within the app. Implement a user-friendly interface that enables users to view product details, select sizes, and make secure transactions, enhancing the overall user experience.
-
Idea 2: Include brace instructional and maintenance videos
-
Idea 3: Offer exclusive promotions, discounts, or bundled deals on ankle braces for app users.
-
Idea 4: Include exclusive content for brace customers
-
Idea 5: Offer dedicated customer support channels within the app for users with questions, concerns, or need assistance related to ankle braces.
User Story
Paper Prototypes
Wireframes
Design System
The Solution: The RheoHero App
.png)
Onboard and create your RheoHero account
_gif.gif)
_gif.gif)
Browse curated workouts for ankle strength, mobility, balance, and flexibility
Follow video tutorials from professionals with information about the benefits of each exercise
_gif.gif)
_gif.gif)
Create your own workouts based on your fitness needs
Track, visualize, and share your progress with recommendations based on your goals
_gif.gif)
_gif.gif)
_gif.gif)
Learn how to use your RheoHero brace with videos and FAQ's
Access exclusive promotions and shop RheoHero directly in the app
Comprehensive Content & Expertise
One of the needs of our users was to be able to access a variety of ankle exercises that can help them prevent injuries in practice or games. This app has a comprehensive library of full workouts or individual exercises that users can search based on their needs.
​
The content also shows the trainer, physical therapist, or athlete that created the workout.
Personalization & Customization
Building personalization into the app was essential to creating a positive user experience and expanded the ability of the app to help users reach individual goals. When a user logs into the app for the first time, they can add their sport, activity level, and goals. This information helps the app recommend workouts and exercises and set daily and weekly engagement targets, giving each user a personalized and curated experience.
Users can create their own workouts and save RheoHero's exercises and workouts for later. They can also see workouts they've engaged with in the past on their profile.
_gif.gif)
Users can also change default goals to set their own.
Progress Tracking & Analytics
Progress tracking keeps users engaged and motivated to be consistent with their ankle exercises. Users can track their progress with visualizations after they complete a workout or on their profile.
Educational Content & Tips
Education was important during user interviews because many users didn't know much about ankle health or felt that it would be motivating to know the benefits of the exercises. When users onboard, they learn about the prevalence of ankle injuries and what they can do to prevent them.
They can see a description of each exercise and how they help their ankle health. Everything is also categorized by balance, mobility, flexibility, and strengthening so that users can start to learn what the exercises do.
With the goals feature, users learn how often they should be doing these exercises to get their desired benefit and build healthy habits.
In the app, users can also opt-in to newsletters, where they can receive the company's blogs about ankle health and rehab.
Customer Resources & Support
Since RheoHero wants to address the problem with both hardware and software, it was important to integrate the experiences and provide benefits to customers. Users can access exclusive promotions, brace instructional videos, maintenance tips, and a support chat.
Ankle Rehab Resources
During user interviews, users talked about finding it difficult to stay on top of their rehab routine without a physical therapist to walk them through it and motivate them. The RheoHero app was designed to help engage these users with tutorials and goals. Users can access exercise programs for rehabilitation after a roll or sprain and receive a reminder to do their workout for the day.
Notifications & Reminders
Users shared that they typically only do the team warmup before practice and will at times skip parts of the warm-up during self-guided workouts. Users can sync their calendar to receive notifications to do a pre-practice ankle warmup or post-practice stretch. This is recommended by doctors and physical therapists to prevent ankle injuries. They can also get an end of the day reminder if they haven't reached their goal for the week or to finish a workout they've started to help them stay motivated.
_gif.gif)