KickEase Pediatric Swim Trainers

Background

Drowning is the number one cause of death for children ages 1-4 in the United States. Lack of knowledge and skill in proper swimming form contributes majorly to this tragedy, making any chance encounter with a body of water potentially dangerous for children. This project’s sponsor Brad Hurvitz, an Infant Swim Resource (ISR) instructor, is interested in mitigating these avoidable deaths through education, aided by a device he developed, the KickEase.

The KickEase is a teaching aid attaches over the leg of young children and limits the range of motion in their knee. Many land-based activities, such as running, dancing, marching, climbing etc, involve a type of cyclic “marching” motion where the leg bends at the knee. However in swimming, mastering a propulsive flutter kick requires straight leg extension, a motion most children are not as accustomed to. By limiting the range of motion of the user at the knee, the KickEase aims to develop the muscle memory of a proper straight-legged kicking form.

Team Objective

The device proven to work well in concept, but the KickEase had some major issues with its practical functionality and its appeal to children and parents. Our team's task was to improve on the existing design of the KickEase in terms of functionality, aesthetics, comfort and ease of use, to make it a fully functional, enjoyable product for students, parents, and instructors alike.

The notable design features of the KickEase V4:

• Foam-fabric construction to aid with buoyancy, outward visual aesthetics and comfort

• A soft-body wrapping design to improve comfort and accommodate as many body proportions as possible

• Quick-release buckles for ease of use and to accommodate a wide range of sizes

• Snap pockets for visual aesthetics and modular addition of buoyancy

• Internal silicone grip pads to keep the device in place without irritation

Performance

In the water, the KickEase V4 performed well, with mostly positive remarks from all users. When properly secured in place, the device worked well to limit knee flexion, assisting with an improved kick after just a few sessions. Between the body and additional EVA foam under the concealing pockets, the KickEase sat at a pleasant positive buoyancy that assisted the children with getting to a more flat-bodied swimming position without forcing their heads down below the water. From the children themselves, they were stated to like the feel of the device even from those that had more sensitive skin, and especially that they felt faster in the water. 

Some issues were reported with the KickEase though, including slippage when the device was not fully secured and the middle straps not fitting all children perfectly, leaving room for some improvement in the future. Despite this, the KickEase V4 succeeded in its major objectives, functioning well as a training aid and improving on many of the flaws of its predecessor.