Abstract: An orthosis is provided which is mountable on a knee having a femoral head and patella. The orthosis has upper and lower arms positionable about the knee and a hinge assembly positioned between the upper and lower arms at the knee to one side of the patella. A compression member is positioned at the femoral head adjacent to the patella on the opposite side of the patella from the hinge assembly. The compression member includes a tracking guide engaging the knee and a compression place in overlying engagement with the tracking guide. A tension strap is connected to the hinge assembly at an offset connection point by means of a tension strap mount. The tension strap applies a tension force to the compression member which increases when the upper and lower arms rotatably transition from the flexion position to the extension position and decreases when the upper and lower arms rotatably transition from the extension position to the flexion position.

Abstract: A hinge assembly is provided for an orthopedic knee brace that pivotally couples a first rotation member and a second rotation member. The hinge assembly includes a pad assembly, a hinge, and first and second adjustment members enabling adjustment of the normal force applied by the hinge assembly to the knee joint for the effective treatment of osteoarthritis. The hinge includes an end of the first rotation member, an end of the second rotation member, first and second hinge plates positioned on opposite sides of the ends, and first and second hinge fasteners. The first and second hinge fasteners each has a bore therethrough that is internally threaded. The first hinge fastener rotatably connects the end of the first rotation member to the first and second hinge plates and the second hinge fastener rotatably connects the end of the second rotation member to the first and second hinge plates.

Abstract: An ankle orthosis device is described which comprises a foot receiving cup or shoe which is integrated with or to which is rigidly attached a force transmitting rib which has an inverted Y-shape. At the proximal end of the Y is slidably attached to the rib for securing the device to the lower leg near the distal end of the tibia. Inversion or eversion torque producing forces applied to the device are transmitted through the cup or shoe and rib to the tibia so that there is no tendency to produce injury causing inversion or eversion of the ankle as a result of the torque. Generally free movement in dorsiflexion and plantar flexion is permitted by the device, which allows it to be used for walking, running, sports events and the like, as well as being useful in a postoperative or other therapeutic ankle treatment program. The device can be in the form of shoe inserts, attached to the heel of a shoe or incorporated into the body of a shoe.

Abstract: A method is described for obtaining quantitative data on the response of individual components of a human knee to external stresses which comprises having an anthropomorphic knee device which includes individual component means for simulating at least one principal component of the knee and load determining means which after calibration are used to determine the effect on the equivalent component in a human knee joint resulting from that external stress. Also described in an anthropomorphic leg device for performing the method in which cables represent the principal components of the knee and are operably connected to load cells so that the stresses imparted to each of the principal components by a traumatic impact can be individually measured and assessed. Measurements with this invention are found to correlate closely to the stresses in the respective components, such as ligaments and muscle groups, of the human knee.

Abstract: A knee brace for externally replacing the function of a torn anterior cruciate ligament. The brace has femur and tibia levers hinged proximal the knee joint. The femur lever has an upper high cuff which bears against the front of the thigh and a lower strap which applies anterior force to the back of the thigh proximal the knee, while the tibia lever has a lower calf cuff which bears against the back of the calf and an upper strap which applies posterior force to the front of the tibia proximal the knee. Thus, the two straps apply a differential force couple forwardly to the femur and rearwardly to the tibia proximal the knee joint which serves the anterior cruciate ligament function. A resilient tubular undersleeve anchors the brace against downward migration on the leg.