This Boot Could Help Soldiers Heal Faster and Stay in the Fight

Ankle sprains keep U.S. military servicemembers on the sidelines a combined 6 million days each year. University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) researchers are working to change that.

🥾What’s new:

• UNO Biomechanics researchers are testing the FlyBand® ExoBoot, an exoskeleton embedded inside a regulation combat boot invented by Connecticut-based company, Motive Labs.

• With no motors or batteries, this innovative system uses carbon-fiber “stability cartridges” to deliver customizable ankle support for injury recovery and prevention.

💡 Why it matters:

• Each year, musculoskeletal injuries cost U.S. military personnel an estimated 25 million limited-duty days. Lateral ankle sprains alone contribute up to 6 million of those days, many of them preventable.

• The FlyBand ExoBoot aims to cut those numbers by helping service members recover faster and avoid re-injury, all while maintaining natural movement and mobility.

• Lab tests at UNO show the prototype rivals the standard of care of current boots-plus-ankle-brace combinations for inversion control while offering the lowest resistance to natural walking motions.

• If successful, the design will be relevant in a wide range of footwear, from hiking boots, to work boots, to high-top basketball sneakers

🔎 Zoom in:

• The boot’s stiffness can be fine-tuned using interchangeable cartridges.

• It supports lateral movement without restricting forward motion, unlike traditional braces, increasing the ability for ligaments to heal.

• A spring-like “exotendon” helps reduce energy demand by up to 11% during walking.

• Lab tests show performance that matches or exceeds conventional brace-boot combos.

• It’s also the first military footwear to incorporate a female-specific anatomical design.

⚡ What’s next:

• A new lab study is underway and enrolling 20 service members with chronic ankle instability, followed by a six-week take-home trial using smart sensor instrumentation.

• The research team plans to apply for a full Clinical Trial Award from the U.S. Department of Defense’s Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP).

🎤 What they’re saying:

• Sara Myers, Ph.D., Biomechanics Professor, Associate Vice Chancellor for Research and Creative Activity, and the study’s principal investigator: “This is exactly the kind of research UNO was built to do: community-engaged, mission-driven, and focused on real-world impact. We’re proud to be collaborating on a project that not only advances science, but also directly improves the health and readiness of those who serve.”

• Adam Rosen, Ph.D., Director of the UNO School of Health and Kinesiology and the study’s co-principal investigator: “Reducing ankle injury risk for service members is important as ankle injuries are among the leading causes of decreased physical impairment and function in active populations. The FlyBand ExoBoot’s ability to provide personalized, responsive support could also improve care for athletes, first responders, and anyone recovering from an ankle injury.”

• Mark Roser, Founder of Motive Labs: “Working with UNO has been a game-changer. Their biomechanics expertise and collaborative spirit pushed our design further than we imagined. Together, we’ve created a platform for innovation that bridges science and service.”

🤝 Grant information:

• Funding source: U.S. Department of Defense-Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs

• Award number: Department of Defense, U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command, Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs 94252410917.

• Title: Increasing Soft Tissue Remodeling After Lateral Ankle Sprain by Deploying Exoskeleton-Integrated Boots to Support Longer-Term Rehabilitation Protocols in Return to Duty.

• Note: This material is based upon work supported by the DoD SBIR Program/U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command (USAMRDC)/Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) under Contract No. W81XWH-22-C-0103 and 94252410917. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the DoD SBIR Program/USAMRDC/CDMRP or the U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA).