The effect of body-conforming passive wearable device with knee flexion taping on dynamic knee stability.

Abstract

Passive wearable devices are widely used for fitness and have also become fashionable. There is increasing interest in adding functionality, such as knee stability, to these compact devices, which are more convenient for daily wear than separate devices like braces or exoskeletons. This study designed and assessed flexion taping passive wearable devices (FTPW). The design emphasized providing adequate flexion moment capacity and controlling varus/valgus movement to prevent knee injuries. In this research, 20 healthy women performed single leg drop (SLD) and step-up (SU) tests with and without muscle fatigue. Knee joint angle, muscle activation, metabolic cost, and blood flow were measured across FTPW, passive wearable devices without flexion taping (PW), and control shorts (Ctrl). In the SLD test after muscle fatigue, FTPW produced a significantly larger knee flexion angle during landing. In the SU test, before and after fatigue, knee varus angle was notably higher with FTPW. Additionally, FTPW showed reduced knee flexor fatigue, indicated by smaller median frequency shifts, and improved blood flow compared to PW. No significant differences in respiratory exchange ratio were detected among the three conditions. Overall, FTPW demonstrated strong potential to enhance knee kinematics, muscle activation, and blood flow, pointing to benefits for both performance improvement and injury prevention. By delivering focused support in a compact format, FTPW may serve as an innovative passive wearable solution that supports daily movement, comfort, and daily activities. This emphasizes the device's promise as an alternative to bulkier knee aids, merging style and functionality effectively.