Osteoarthritis causes knee cartilage, which normally acts as a shock absorber, to become stiff and degenerate as the joint moves making the knee more susceptible to damage. Over time the cartilage eventually wears away causing severe pain and trauma due to the grinding of the Femur and Tibia at the point of contact. Statistics show that this disease affects over 16 million men and women as the chances of development increase with age.

The Multidisciplinary Design & Training Clinic (MDTC) sponsored “Knee Group” project entails the design and production of a knee support device able to “unload” forces acting on the hinge joint while walking. A support able to unload the knee will act as an external cartilage, absorbing the forces at the joint while limiting bone contact. Marketing strategies target mainly senior citizens, who normally are affected by osteoarthritis to some degree, by offering the benefit of a non-surgical means of relieving the pain of mobility without further injury to the knee.