Knee brace for restricting abnormal anterior tibial movement and other purposes

摘要

Knee braces for various uses, e.g., restricting anterior tibial movement. The braces include a frame, leg mounting straps, and a pressure applicator. The frame is made up of an integral unit including a pair of elongated support rods and a bridging member connecting the rods. In one embodiment the pressure applicator comprises a posterior thigh restraining strap, a portion of the bridging member and a calf cuff pivotally connected to that portion of the bridging member by a single anterior pivot so that the calf cuff can pivot about plural axes with respect to the bridging member. The frame is movably coupled to the upper leg of the person so that the rods can translate forwardly, along the medial and lateral sides of the upper leg, respectively, until the restraining strap resists such forward movement. With the pressure applicator projecting outward from the axes of the rods for fixed anterior positioning relative to the tibia tubercle of the person and with the forward translation of the rods being restrained, resistance to anterior movement of the tibia increases as the person's knee is extended. In another embodiment the brace is arranged to be mounted on the lower leg of the person so that the bridging member applies pressure to the patella and thereby isolate it from the irritated tibia tubercle to reduce the pain associated with Osgood Schlatter's Disease. In another embodiment the brace includes a web of elastic material having a patellar opening for mounting over the patella of the person to aid in patellar tracking.