Background
Discover
Why This Matters?
Every year in the U.S. about 400,000 ACL reconstruction surgeries are performed. only 65% of patients return to their pre-injury activity level, and fewer than 55% ever compete again
Research Approach
I began the discovery phase with secondary research, reviewing articles and papers to understand how people navigate long-term recovery and what challenges they face beyond clinical support.
Also I conducted six semi-structured interviews with four ACL recovery patients and two physiotherapists. This approach allowed flexibility to follow users’ stories while ensuring coverage of essential recovery topics
Comparing Existing Solution & Mapping the Research
I compared existing recovery and wellness apps like Kaia Health, Hinge Health, Calm, and Headspace to identify gaps.
And I mapped all qualitative insights from interviews, Reddit discussions, and app audits into an affinity map.
Finding key themes and opportunity
After organizing research data through affinity mapping, I synthesized the findings to identify patterns, pain points, and user needs from interviews, Reddit discussions, and competitive research. The goal was to uncover users' frustrations, motivations, and gaps between physical recovery, nutrition, sleep, and emotional well-being
Validated Persona & Journey Map
I shaped three personas representing different recovery rhythm from rebuilding strength to restoring peace of mind. I then mapped Daniel's complete journey to uncover critical pain points and opportunities for better support.
As I progressed further into my product development, I made sure every design choice I made exactly aligned with their needs and frustration.
Recovery is Holistic
Healing isn’t just physical — sleep, nutrition, and emotion shape recovery too.
Community Builds Motivation
Shared progress turns isolation into encouragement and accountability.
Synthesizing into Archetypes
After identifying key themes, I synthesized user insights into three behavioral archetypes that represent how people approach recovery, balance, and habit formation. These archetypes helped me design with empathy
I also explored ACL recovery groups on Reddit and other online spaces to hear real stories from people in recovery. Their posts revealed honest emotions, frustration, fear, and small wins. That helped me see what recovery really feels like beyond the clinic
After user testing, the navigation was redesigned in an iOS 16/17-style floating layout, creating a softer, more modern appearance. The new tabs Today, Explore, Ask, Circle, Me are simplified and renamed for clearer mental mapping
Recovery made simple, see the progress, stay consistent, and eat better without the guesswork.
Recovery made engaging
Detects flexion & extension angles instantly
Real-time voice & visual cues
Turns every rep into a progress game
Intelligence
Speak freely about recovery food, sleep, or pain
Voice-based journaling for emotional and physical trackingTurns
A safe, intelligent space that listens without judgment
Everything user need to recover, eat well, and stay balanced—beautifully in sync
Recover together, not alone.
A space to share progress, ask questions, and celebrate every small win
Rebuild
Feel better,
Move smarter.
Process
But How
did I get here?
HMW Statement
How might we design a experience that supports ACL patients in building consistent physical and emotional habits, connecting body, mind, and lifestyle to promote long-term recovery and balance?
How might we design a experience that supports ACL patients in building consistent physical and emotional habits, connecting body, mind, and lifestyle to promote long-term recovery and balance?
Align helps user rebuild the routine after an ACL injury not just physically, but as a whole person. With movement tracking, gentle food and sleep nudges, and daily wellness reflections, Align keeps your progress steady and your habits aligned
*Source: NIH, 2023, Aspetar Clinical Practice Guideline (2022)
Motivation & Consistency
Users begin recovery with enthusiasm but lose drive after the initial phase, especially when progress feels slow.
How might we help users stay motivated throughout long-term recovery?
Fragmented Health Tracking
Users juggle multiple apps for exercise, sleep, and nutrition.
How might we create one integrated space for physical, nutritional, and emotional recovery?
Guidance & Feedback
Generic exercises or reminders don’t adapt to user progress or pain level.
How might we tailor exercises, feedback, and nutrition to each user’s stage of recovery?
Emotional Support Gap
Recovery feels isolating, with limited empathy or human connection in current apps
How might we offer emotional reassurance and connection during solo recovery?
“Some days I feel like I’m doing everything right, but I still can’t tell if I’m actually improving. It’s frustrating not seeing progress.”
ACL Recovery Patient, 28
“I tell my patients to track their range of motion, but most give up after a week. It’s not that they don’t care, it’s just hard to stay consistent without clear feedback.”
Physiotherapist, 32
“When I can’t move properly, I lose motivation to eat well or sleep early. It all falls apart together.”
Goalkeeper Recovering from Knee Surgery, 26
Archetype #1
The Determined Tracker
Goal-oriented and structured. Tracks every rep, step, and meal. Motivated by data, visible progress, and achievement rings.
Archetype #2
The Emotional Healer
Values reassurance and self-kindness. Recovers through rest, reflection, and emotional support. Motivated by positive reinforcement and community empathy.
Archetype #3
The Guided Learner
Seeks expert-backed structure. Wants to do things right but depends on clear guidance and consistency cues
Storyboard & System
I created a system map to visualize how Align connects physical, mental, and lifestyle data across features, and a storyboard to show how users can interact with specific features in real-life recovery scenarios.
“When I can’t move properly, I lose motivation to eat well or sleep early. It all falls apart together.”
Goalkeeper Recovering from Knee Surgery, 26
Archetype #3
The Guided Learner
Seeks expert-backed structure. Wants to do things right but depends on clear guidance and consistency cues
Get the highlights
Recovery made simple. See the progress, stay consistent, and eat better without the guesswork.
Real-time motion tracking visualizes every rep, offering instant Ai feedback to support better form and smoother recovery.
Intelligence
Speak freely about your recovery—food, sleep, or how your knee feels today. This space listens without judgment.
This project began as a personal exploration into ACL recovery design. After early validation, it evolved into a collaboration with a health-tech startup to bring the concept into real-world testing and refinement.
Align
Track progress
Align is a behavior-centered recovery app designed to support users healing from ACL injuries not just physically, but holistically. Combining motion tracking, food logging, sleep insights, and mental wellness check-ins, Align helps users build daily habits that promote long-term recovery.
Results
idea to a real-world collaboration
Role
Product Design & Research
Timeline
June 2025 - Ongoing
Advisior
Arnold Mages
Testing Design
Develop
Based on the ecosystem, I structured the Information Architecture to define clear navigation patterns across five key sections Today, Explore, Ask, Circle, and Me ensuring smooth user flow and data continuity.
Testing Design
I conducted low-fidelity wireframe testing to validate the design. The goal was to ensure that users could set up their recovery phase, log progress, and navigate between physical, mental, and nutrition tracking without confusion.
Major improvements in the design
During wireframe testing, users struggled to interpret their daily recovery progress and felt less motivated to track it. The next iteration emphasized clarity, focus, and real-time feedback.
Style guide & Design System
What I Learned
What I could have done better
More Iterative Testing
Testing across all recovery phases could refine personalization further.
Broader Inclusivity
Involving users with diverse routines and lifestyles would widen insights.
The interface follows Apple’s Human Interface Guidelines, using SF Pro Display for its clean geometry and high legibility across light and dark modes.
Orange was chosen as the primary accent color to represent energy, warmth, and progress helping users associate rehabilitation with positivity rather than restraint.
Based on the ecosystem, I structured the Information Architecture to define clear navigation patterns across five key sections Today, Explore, Ask, Circle, and Me ensuring smooth user flow and data continuity.
The product
After user testing, the food screen was updated to add “Scan Food” for instant meal logging and “Change Suggestion” for flexibility. The “Ask” button was repositioned for contextual support, allowing users to get advice or alternatives while viewing a recipe
Problem Statement
Recovering athletes like Daniel need a holistic recovery tracking solution that unifies physical progress, mental readiness, and lifestyle factors because fragmented tracking across multiple apps leaves them uncertain about their true recovery status, unable to see how sleep and nutrition impact rehabilitation, and lacking the confidence to know when it's safe to return to sport.