AXIS Recovery

Problem

Lower-limb injuries are a common setback for athletes, often resulting in long, uncertain recovery periods. For female athletes, these challenges are compounded by hormonal influences that can increase susceptibility to injury, as well as psychological barriers such as fear of re-injury and reduced confidence. Recreational athletes frequently experience limited access to continuous professional guidance, seeing physiotherapists only every few weeks, which can lead to incorrect exercise execution, delayed recovery, or re-injury. This combination of physical and psychological factors highlights a clear need for supportive, accessible, and personalised rehabilitation tools that bridge the gap between clinical care and independent training.

Research

Lower-limb injuries are a common challenge for athletes, particularly females, who face unique physiological factors and psychological barriers during rehabilitation. To better understand these challenges, both primary and secondary research were conducted. An online survey with 32 female athletes and five semi-structured interviews with athletes and professionals revealed three key themes: lack of continuous professional support, hormonal influences on injury risk, and fear of re-injury. Following analysis, the project focused on how a wearable device with real-time feedback and app integration could address these themes, supporting both physical recovery and psychological confidence throughout rehabilitation.

Methods

An online survey was distributed to 32 female athletes with current or past lower-limb injuries. The survey included both open- and closed-ended questions about rehabilitation experiences, usability of existing tools, and psychological challenges such as fear of re-injury and confidence in performing exercises correctly.

“Women are eight times more likely to tear their ACL and have knee injuries based on just anatomically the angle of our hips to our knees, and of course, hormones play a massive factor.”
FORMER AUSTRALIAN WOMEN’S SOCCER PLAYER AND MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY SPECIALIST.

KEY FINDINGS

1. Lack of continuous professional support: Recreational athletes often only see physiotherapists every 2–3 weeks, leaving them unsure about correct exercise form and progression, which increases the risk of re-injury.

2. Hormonal influences on injury risk: Research and interviews highlighted that fluctuations in hormonal cycles can impact joint stability and susceptibility to injury, yet many rehabilitation programs fail to account for this.

3. Fear of re-injury and psychological barriers: Athletes reported anxiety, lack of confidence, and a feeling of isolation during recovery, particularly when performing exercises unsupervised.

IMPLICATIONS FOR DESIGN

These insights directly informed the development of AXIS Recovery. The device was designed to provide real-time feedback, personalised tracking, and psychological reassurance, while the companion app allows athletes to integrate cycle-aware recommendations and monitor progress between physiotherapy sessions. This evidence-based approach ensures the design addresses both the physical and emotional dimensions of rehabilitation.

Solution

AXIS Recovery is a clip-on wearable and app that supports lower-limb rehabilitation by providing real-time motion tracking, customisable haptic feedback, and visual alerts. It helps athletes perform exercises safely, track progress, and rebuild confidence, while integrating with apps like FLO to tailor recovery to individual needs, including hormonal cycle phases.

Lighting Strip

The LED lighting strip on AXIS provides intuitive, real-time feedback during rehabilitation. Green indicates safe movement, amber signals caution, and red warns the user to stop or adjust their motion. Combined with the haptic vibrations, the lights help athletes maintain correct form, prevent re-injury, and stay confident throughout their recovery.

Buttons

AXIS features four buttons that give users full control during their rehabilitation sessions: power, start/stop, increase vibration, and decrease vibration. These buttons allow athletes to turn the device on and off, manage sessions, and adjust haptic feedback intensity directly on the device. This ensures a personalised, responsive experience, helping users maintain correct movement, track progress safely, and feel confident during every exercise.

Clip Mechanism

The spring-clip mechanism on AXIS allows the device to securely attach to clothing, waistbands, knee braces, or ankle braces. Its flexible yet firm design ensures stability during movement, making it easy to position the device for accurate tracking while remaining comfortable and unobtrusive throughout rehabilitation exercises.

Haptic Vibrations

AXIS uses haptic vibrations to provide real-time tactile feedback during exercises. These vibrations alert users when their movements are correct, approaching limits, or require adjustment, helping athletes maintain proper form, prevent re-injury, and build confidence throughout rehabilitation. The vibration intensity can be adjusted using the device’s buttons, while sensitivity settings can be customised through the app for a more personalised training experience.

The AXIS app allows users to customise haptic feedback, adjusting vibration strength, patterns, and sensitivity to match their recovery needs. A built-in orientation calibrator ensures accurate tracking regardless of whether the device is clipped to the waistband, knee, or ankle. Integration with apps like FLO enables exercise guidance to adapt to hormonal cycle phases, supporting female athletes with personalised, safe, and optimised rehabilitation. This combination of precision, control, and cycle-aware programming empowers users to regain confidence, maintain proper form, and track progress effectively.

How to use it

1. Clip the Device: Attach AXIS securely to your waistband, knee brace, or ankle brace using the spring-clip.
2. Power On: Press the power button to turn the device on.
3. Start Session: Press start/stop to begin tracking your exercise or activity.
4. Calibrate Orientation: Use the orientation calibrator in the app to ensure accurate motion tracking.
5. Adjust Haptics: Use the increase/decrease vibration buttons or app settings to customise feedback strength and patterns.
6.Exercise & Monitor: Perform your exercises while following LED lights (green, amber, red) and vibration cues to maintain proper form and safe range of motion.
7. Track Progress: After your session, review performance summaries and progress dashboards in the app.
8. Cycle Integration (Optional): Sync with apps like FLO to tailor exercises according to hormonal cycle phases.
9. Power Off & Recharge: Turn the device off using the power button and recharge wirelessly when needed.

MANUFACTURING AND MATERIALS

AXIS Recovery is designed for precision, comfort, and long-term durability. The outer casing is made from injection-moulded ABS plastic, selected for its lightweight strength, soft matte finish, and ability to withstand active use. The spring-clip mechanism is seamlessly integrated into the casing to ensure a secure, flexible attachment to clothing or braces without compromising comfort.

Inside, the device houses a three-axis gyroscope, multi-axis accelerometer, and orientation calibrator, all configured to deliver accurate motion tracking from any attachment point. The inclusion of the orientation calibrator ensures the device maintains precise readings whether clipped to the waist, knee, or ankle. Compact haptic motors and a wireless charging module complete the system, providing intuitive feedback and convenience in daily use.

The design prioritises scalable, cost-efficient manufacturing while maintaining sustainability and user comfort. Together, these materials and processes make AXIS both technically advanced and practical for real-world rehabilitation.