Soft Knee Brace Helical Strapping for Osteoarthritis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional orthopedic knee braces are inadequate in providing effective osteoarthritic treatment, particularly for unbalanced loading on the medial or lateral compartments of the knee, which leads to chronic pain and joint abrasion.
Innovation Solution
A soft-type knee brace design featuring a sleeve with body and flap tension tabs, a longitudinal support assembly, and a strapping system that allows for adjustable tension and biasing forces to alleviate compartmental loading, incorporating a helical strap system and finger pulls for easy adjustment and enhanced radial compression.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional soft brace with compression sleeve is used, then radial compression to the knee is provided for support and stabilization, but effective osteoarthritic treatment with customizable biasing forces cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The brace is segmented into distinct functional components: a compression sleeve for radial compression, a longitudinal support assembly with hinge for structural stability, and adjustable strapping systems with tension tabs for customizable biasing forces. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently while working together to provide both support and osteoarthritic treatment.
Solution Approach 2:
The brace incorporates dynamic adjustment capabilities through multiple strapping systems with movable tension tabs and releasable fasteners. Users can adjust the tension and positioning of straps to customize the biasing forces applied to different compartments of the knee, allowing the brace to adapt to varying treatment requirements and user needs.
2Reliability
If frame braces with rigid longitudinal supports are used, then corrective biasing forces can be applied to treat osteoarthritis, but ease of operation and comfort are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The brace uses a flexible compression sleeve made of pliant material that wraps around the knee, replacing the rigid frame structure. This flexible shell provides comfort and ease of operation while maintaining the ability to apply corrective forces through integrated longitudinal support members and adjustable strapping systems that can be easily positioned and secured.
Solution Approach 2:
The brace incorporates user-friendly adjustment mechanisms including releasable fasteners and movable tension tabs that allow users to independently adjust and customize the fit and biasing forces without requiring assistance from healthcare professionals, enabling self-service adjustment and optimization of treatment parameters.
3Reliability
If multiple straps and tensioning mechanisms are added to provide customizable biasing forces, then osteoarthritic treatment capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The strapping system is designed with multi-functional components that serve multiple purposes: the same straps and tension tabs used for securing the brace also provide the biasing forces for osteoarthritic treatment. The longitudinal support members both stabilize the knee structure and transmit the corrective forces, eliminating the need for separate dedicated force application mechanisms and reducing overall system complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The knee brace effectively reduces load on affected compartments, providing relief from osteoarthritic pain by applying customizable biasing forces and enhancing radial compression, thus offering a remedial and preventative support for knee stabilization.
Implementation Method 1
The sleeve is formed from an elastic material which wraps around the knee forming a tube-like structure. The sleeve encloses the knee and a portion of the upper and lower legs adjacent to the knee. The relatively tightly-wrapped sleeve of the soft brace applies radial compression to the knee, thereby supporting and stabilizing the knee.
Implementation Method 2
The body tension tab extends from the body and has a body releasable tab fastener enabling releasable fastening of the body tension tab to the sleeve when the sleeve is wrapped around the knee. The flap tension tab extends from the flap and has a flap releasable tab fastener enabling releasable fastening of the flap tension tab to the sleeve when the sleeve is wrapped around the knee.
Implementation Method 3
Each longitudinal support consists of a pair of relatively rigid upper and lower arms and a hinge which rotationally interconnects the upper and lower arms to one another. The upper and lower arms are positioned adjacent to the upper and lower leg, respectively, while the hinge is positioned adjacent to the knee.
Data Source
AI summary
An orthopedic knee brace is provided having a sleeve, a longitudinal support assembly and a strapping system. The sleeve is positionable over a knee with the longitudinal support assembly engaging the sleeve. The longitudinal support assembly includes an upper support member, a lower support member and a hinge positionable in engagement with the knee. The strapping system includes a strap extending in a helical path across a lower point on the upper support member proximal to the hinge to an upper point on the upper support member or in a helical path across an upper point on the lower support member proximal to the hinge to a lower point on the lower support member.