Importance

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Abstract

A knee brace comprises generally U-shaped upper and lower support members for fitting around the upper and lower leg above and below the knee joint; two pairs of upper and lower support arms extending downwardly and upwardly, respectively, from the upper and lower support members along opposite sides of the patient's upper leg; and polycentric hinges for pivoting the upper support arms to the lower support arms adjacent lateral and medial sides of the knee joint. Floating condyle pads are affixed to fixed inside portions of the polycentric hinges. The condyle pads are held in direct contact with the lateral and medial sides of the patient's knee joint. The condyle pads are restrained from rotational movement but are hinged so they can pivot toward or away from each other about common generally vertical axes within the space between the polycentric hinges. The condyle pads can be spring-biased inwardly by their hinges for contact with opposite sides of the knee joint during swinging movement of the upper and lower leg about a horizontal axis. Flexible and longitudinally elastic upper and lower straps are releasably secured to the upper and lower limb support members. The straps extend in opposite directions away from the sides of the upper and lower support members. This provides a de-rotation strapping system which inhibits twisting of the lower leg relative to the upper leg about a vertical axis.

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First Claim