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Cruciate ligament leg brace

  • US 4,953,543 A
  • Filed: 08/09/1988
  • Issued: 09/04/1990
  • Est. Priority Date: 08/09/1988
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A lightweight, easily removable leg brace for alleviating problems with torn or weakened anterior or posterior cruciate ligaments which comprises:

  • an upper assembly oriented generally longitudinally along the thigh comprising;

    (a) padding extending circumferentially around the wearer'"'"'s thigh;

    (b) a first pair of elongate support struts extending along opposite sides of the thigh;

    (c) means for affixing the upper ends of said first pair of support struts to said thigh padding; and

    (d) a plurality of adjustable straps extending circumferentially around said thigh padding and attached to said padding,a pair of hinge assemblies on opposite sides of the knee joint and respectively connected with the lower ends of said first pair of support struts;

    a lower assembly oriented generally longitudinally along the tibia and the calf comprising;

    (a) padding extending circumferentially around the wearer'"'"'s calf;

    (b) a second pair of elongate support struts extending along opposite sides of the calf and with their upper ends respectively connected to said hinge assemblies;

    (c) means for affixing the lower ends of said second pair of support struts to said calf padding;

    (d) a plurality of adjustable straps extending circumferentially around said calf padding and attached to said padding;

    (e) posterior cruciate ligament support means for providing adjustable anteriorly directed force to the posterior of the calf, said posterior support means being affixed to said second pair of support struts;

    (f) anterior cruciate ligament support means for providing adjustable posteriorly directed force to the anterior of the tibia adjacent the knee, said anterior support means being affixed to said second pair of support struts; and

    (g) means for independently vertically adjusting each of said posterior and anterior cruciate ligament support means, whereby said leg brace may be adjusted for use on legs of any size and for use with persons having injured anterior or posterior cruciate ligaments, or both.

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