KNEE BRACE HAVING AN INFLATABLE PAD CIRCUMSCRIBING THE PATELLA

摘要

A knee brace is provided that is mountable over the knee joint of a user. The brace has a compliant sleeve and a compliant cover overlying an anterior portion of the sleeve. The sleeve and cover preferably have corresponding anterior openings aligned to receive the patella when the brace is mounted over the knee joint. The sleeve and cover are joined around the perimeter of the cover to form a pocket therebetween enclosing an inflatable pad having a medial chamber and a lateral chamber in fluid isolation from each other. The chambers are provided with associated pumps and valves, rendering them selectively inflatable or defletable. In operation, the brace is positioned over the knee joint such that the pad circumscribes a portion of the patella and one or both of the chambers are inflated as desired to stabilize the patella.