253 results about "Knee braces" patented technology

An orthopedic knee brace provides an apparatus for accurately prescribing the anatomical motion of the human knee. The orthopedic knee brace is used for treatment and rehabilitation following surgery to the knee, protection for a surgically repaired knee, and protection for an uninjured knee, among other applications. The orthopedic knee brace actively prescribes asymmetric three-dimensional anatomic motion in six degrees of freedom of the wearer's knee. The rigid connections between the thigh and calf engaging members and the medial and lateral hinges provide the ability of the orthopedic knee brace to prescribe asymmetric three-dimensional anatomic motion in six degrees of freedom by actively prescribing flexion and extension, abduction and adduction, internal/external rotation, anterior/posterior translation, medial/lateral translation, and proximal/distal translation between a femur and a tibia of a wearer's leg. In alternate embodiments a single-hinge brace design is provided for treatment and prevention of osteoarthritis and other joint diseases and conditions.

A knee brace divided into anterior and posterior sides by a frontal plane, and having first and second sides divided by a median plane. The knee brace having a frame, and at least one cross strap that is connected to the frame and extends across over at least a portion of the first and second brace sides. The at least one cross strap is arranged obliquely relative to the median plane. The brace also includes a tightening mechanism that is connected to the frame and is configured to incrementally tension the at least one cross strap at predefined settings and to release tension on the at least one cross strap. A first end of the at least one cross strap engages the tightening mechanism. A dosage meter is connected to the frame, and includes an indication feature representing tension settings of the at least one cross strap.

Provided is a brace including upper and lower frame members and upper and lower cuff members. An upper adjuster is coupled to the upper frame member and upper cuff member and is configured to enable selective adjustment of the distance between the upper frame member and the upper cuff member. An upper connector is coupled to the upper frame member and the upper cuff member and is configured to enable selective engagement between the upper frame member and the upper cuff member. A lower adjuster is coupled to the lower frame member and the lower cuff member and is configured to enable selective adjustment of the distance between the lower frame member and the lower cuff member. A lower connector is coupled to the lower frame member and the lower cuff member and is configured to enable selective engagement between the lower frame member and the lower cuff member.

A knee brace for proprioceptively treating a patient comprises a sleeve having an anchor strap and a viscoelastic pad. The sleeve defines inner and outer sleeve surfaces and is configured to envelop the patient's knee. The anchor strap is circumferentially wrappable about the outer sleeve surface and defines an inner strap surface. The anchor strap has an intermediate anchor portion disposed on the inner strap surface between opposing end anchor portions that are releasably securable to the outer sleeve surface such that tension in the anchor strap may be selectively adjusted. The knee brace includes an elastic band extending along the inner strap surface. The viscoelastic pad is securable on the inner sleeve surface generally opposite to the elastic band such that pressure may be applied to the patient's infrapatellar tendon when the anchor strap is extended over the outer sleeve surface.

A knee brace is provided having upper and lower arms and a hinge assembly positionable about the knee to one side of the patella. The hinge assembly has a hinge pivot and a tension strap lever. The upper and lower arms and tension strap lever are each rotatable about the hinge pivot. A compression member is positioned in engagement with the knee on the opposite side of the patella from the hinge assembly and a tension strap engages the compression member and is connected to the tension strap lever. The tension strap applies a tension force to the compression member which increases when the upper and lower arms and tension strap lever rotationally transition from a flexion position to an extension position and decreases when the upper and lower arms and tension strap lever rotationally transition from the extension position to the flexion position.

An orthotic knee brace for treating unicompartmental osteoarthritis in a knee joint is described. The brace includes a fabric sleeve mounting and a bracing member removably positioned in the sleeve to provide a therapeutic force on the joint. The force is applied by a force dosimeter assembly that draws an incrementally adjustable amount of force on cables connected to the bracing member. The amount of force applied by the force dosimeter is detected by a force sensor, and is indicated by a force indicator, each also removably attachable on the fabric sleeve mounting. The foregoing features, while exemplified in the context of a knee brace, are adaptable to any orthotic or prosthetic device where it is desired to apply an adjustable amount of force to a point on the device to provide a therapeutic benefit, and to provide a real-time indication to the user of the amount of force being applied.

The invention relates to a knee brace with straps engageable with the upper and lower leg and disposed above and below the knee, said straps being connected by a hinged rail extending over the knee at the side, said hinged rail comprising a fluid-inflatable padding and a hinged connection in the region of the knee. The padding comprises two optionally inflatable hollow pads connected by a channel, said hollow pads each being so disposed between the knee-distal straps and the hinged connection that, when the hollow pads are inflated, the knee is forced in relation to the straps into a position away from the hinged connection.

A knee brace assembly for various uses, e.g., restricting anterior tibial movement. The knee brace assembly includes a proximal cuff for engaging the wearer's leg above the knee and a distal cuff for engaging the wearer's leg below the knee. The proximal and distal cuffs are linked together by a hinge that permits pivotal movement of the proximal cuff relative to the distal cuff. The proximal cuff has lateral and medial portions each having a slot extending there along. A strap guiding assembly is slidably mounted within each of the slots. Each strap guiding assembly is arranged to slide between a proximal extreme when the wearer's leg is in flexion and a distal extreme as the wearer extends his or her leg. A biasing device biases each strap guiding assembly towards its proximal extreme. A cross-strap, having free ends and a length, is provided for engagement with the wearer's leg. The cross-strap attaches to the wearer's leg below the knee and wraps behind the knee in crisscross fashion. The free ends of the strap attach to the strap guiding assembly. The cross-strap is operative in response to extension of the wearer's leg to pull the strap guiding assembly from the proximal extreme towards the distal extreme thus creating a force counteractive to abnormal anterior movement of the tibia.

To provide controlled amounts of resistance to movement in exercise equipment or in orthotic devices, a control module has cooperating resistance elements. The force between the elements is varied in accordance with the position of the elements with respect to each other. For example the control module can connect two splints of a knee brace so that the resistance to flexion and extension are programmed in accordance with the position of the leg and thigh with respect to each other.

To provide controlled amounts of resistance to movement in exercise equipment or in orthotic devices, a control module has cooperating resistance elements. The force between the elements is varied in accordance with the position of the elements with respect to each other. For example the control module can connect two splints of a knee brace so that the resistance to flexion and extension are programmed in accordance with the position of the leg and thigh with respect to each other.