Newswise — Under the warm April sun, the Rowan University softball team warms up for a double-header. One player stands out. While other players wear white knee-high socks, the catcher, Rowan junior Jen Lake from Carney's Point, sports a black knee guard covering the majority of her right leg. The knee guard covers not catching equipment, but a bulky, uncomfortable knee brace.
The discomfort and the bulkiness of the brace paired with Lake's skills in mechanical engineering left her with an interesting thought.
"I figured there had to be a better brace for me to use," said Lake, who tore her posterior cruciate ligament playing flag football last year, resulting in a condition doctors called inoperable. "When I couldn't find it, I thought I could develop a new brace. I took the idea to mechanical engineering Professor Jennifer Kadlowec, and the project took off from there."
"When Jen came to me with the idea, I thought it was very interesting" said Kadlowec, of Haddon Township. Kadlowec is one of two supervisors for the project. "Jen has taken her personal experience to work on a project that could benefit not only her and other catchers, but expand to a larger athletic population."
Other project team members include senior Amanda Simermeyer of Burlington City and junior Jami Saffioti of Lavallette. Dr. Anthony Marchese of Haddonfield is the other project supervisor.
"Right now, Jen's brace is designed for basic activity like sitting and standing," said Simermeyer. "So when she sprints to first base trying to beat a ground ball, her muscles expand, and the brace does not fit properly."
So far, the team has conducted background research and developed a concept for a new brace. Members currently are studying the feasibility of the brace using 3D software. Eventually, they will make prototypes of the new device.
"We hope to implement detachable pieces into the design so it can be versatile," said Saffioti. "Most importantly, the brace must provide support, stability and comfort to whoever uses it."
When the design is complete, the team hopes to obtain a patent.
"It would be wonderful to sell the design to a big company," said Lake. "That way other people could get what I couldn't find."
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