| 摘要 |
A knee stabilizer or brace is provided which is useful as an aid for patients having any of the three common forms of knee joint deformation. The brace includes a pair of guide rails which extend along the patient's leg on either side of the knee. An upper cross-member, which is contoured to fit the front of the patient's thigh, is mounted for pivotal movement near the top of each guide rail. The upper cross-member is retained on the patient's thigh by means of an elastic band which extends around the rear of the thigh and, at either end, is secured to the upper cross-member. A medial cross-member, which is shaped to fit the contour of the patient's calf, is pivotally mounted to each of the guide rails intermediate its ends and engages the patient's leg at a point near the knee joint. Near the bottom of one of the guide rails and facing the front of the patient's leg, a strap loop is provided and an adjustable strap, which is secured to the other guide rail, passes through the loop so as to extend across the patient's shin, and to loop back on itself and is secured to itself. With the brace on the patient's leg, the maximum extension of the knee is conveniently regulated by adjusting the shin strap while his leg is fully extended. Thereafter, the cross-members and strap cooperate to prevent overextension of the knee joint. Owing to the pivotal mounting of the upper and medial cross-members, the brace may be fitted closely to the patient's leg, thereby providing better lateral stabilization of the knee joint and a slip-proof fit, and rendering the brace undetectable under the clothing.
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