Design Considerations of Lower Limb Support for Elliptical Stepping Exercise by spinal cord injured individuals

The project sought to construct lower-limb supports to guide the legs in sagittal plane motion during elliptical stepping exercise for individuals with spinal paralysis. Design Criteria were formulated to guide the construction process by defining requirements and limitations. The dimensions of the design were determined according to literature and experimental data. Material selection was based on weight, strength, and other mechanical properties, as well as ease of manufacturing. The geometry was used to optimise strength and weight of the selected materials. Finite element analysis was carried out using Solidworks to optimise geometry and material design. Once all aspects of the designs are determined a prototype will be built, tested and evaluated for further improvement. The lower limb support for paraplegics on elliptical stepping bike should be able to carry out their exercise without spurious movements compromising their exercise