The recent leg injuries suffered by star athletes such as the Warriors’ Kevin Durant (torn Achilles) and Klay Thompson (torn ACL), and Duke’s Zion Williamson (knee sprain) have all occurred when their feet have pushed off against the hardwood of the basketball court.
All three could perhaps have avoided those significant injuries through a commercial offshoot from the research labs of Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Sports Engineering, Inc. is endeavoring to mitigate injury risk in athletes by reinforcing the key point of contact between athlete and floor: the sneaker. SEI’s SmartSpring technology is based on work by mechanical engineering professor Chris Brown and his students.