DESIGN OF AN ACL SAFE SKI ABSORPTION PLATE

This Major Qualifying Project is to design a device to reduce the risk of injury to the ACL while skiing. The device was designed using axiomatic design principals to help facilitate the processes. The device presented in this project is an absorption plate, connecting the binding to the ski. ACL injuries are the commonly associated with a skier in a fall to the rear and a tall stiff boot pushing the calf forward. The objective of the absorption plate is to displace or rotate the heel about the ball of the foot, in turn displacing the boot cuff, in the event there are injurious loads applied to the back of the leg. This sequentially, reduces the applied loads to the ACL and thereby reducing the risk of injury