Abstract: A knee brace to stabilize the patella has a main body positionable over the knee, a hinged longitudinal support assembly, a buttress, a buttress retention flap overlaying the buttress, a cam positioned proximal to the support assembly and a tensioning line. The buttress is positioned against the side of the knee opposite the support assembly and applies a variable compression force to the knee. The tensioning line engages the cam and operatively connects it to the buttress via the buttress retention flap to automatically vary the compression force applied to the knee in response to rotation of the support assembly.

Abstract: An orthopedic brace for a body joint has a first longitudinal support, a second longitudinal support and a hinge joint rotatably connecting the longitudinal supports, thereby rendering them positionable at different hinge joint angles. The brace also has a tensioner attached at its opposite ends to the first and second longitudinal supports which intermediately engages a cam positioned at the hinge joint. The tensioner applies a variable elastic tensioning force to the longitudinal supports which varies as a function of the hinge joint angle and biases the longitudinal supports toward a position corresponding to a desired hinge joint angle.

Abstract: A knee brace to stabilize the patella has a main body positionable over the knee, a hinged longitudinal support assembly, a buttress, a buttress retention flap overlaying the buttress, a cam positioned proximal to the support assembly and a tensioning line. The buttress is positioned against the side of the knee opposite the support assembly and applies a variable compression force to the knee. The tensioning line engages the cam and operatively connects it to the buttress via the buttress retention flap to automatically vary the compression force applied to the knee in response to rotation of the support assembly.