Patent ID: 8273045
Filing Date: 2012-09-25
Classification: A61F

Abstract:
1. A method for fitting an orthopedic brace to a body section of a user comprising the steps of: providing an orthopedic brace including a first longitudinal brace assembly, a second longitudinal brace assembly, a first strap, a second strap, a third strap, a fourth strap, a first strap attachment member, a second strap attachment member, a third strap attachment member, and a fourth strap attachment member, wherein said first longitudinal brace assembly has a first strap guide member, a second strap guide member, a third strap guide member and a fourth strap guide member mounted thereon, each said first, second, third and fourth strap guide members having a strap lock mounted thereon, wherein each strap lock is displaceable relative to said first, second, third and fourth strap guide members, respectively, between a locked and an unlocked position, said second longitudinal brace assembly has a first strap connection member, a second strap connection member, a third strap connection member and a fourth strap connection member mounted thereon, and each said first, second, third and fourth straps has a first end and a second end and is segmented into a first side segment on a first side of said orthopedic brace, a second side segment on a second side of said orthopedic brace, and a second end segment; slidably engaging said first side segment of each said first, second, third and fourth straps with each said first, second, third and fourth strap guide members, respectively, mounted on said first longitudinal brace assembly and fixably attaching each said first side segments to each said first, second, third and fourth strap connection members, respectively, mounted on said second longitudinal brace assembly to set an arbitrary length of each said first side segments and to connect said first and second longitudinal brace assemblies to one another by means of said first side segments; slidably engaging said second side segment of each said first, second, third and fourth straps with each said first, second, third and fourth strap guide members, respectively, and attaching each said second side segments to each said first, second, third and fourth strap attachment members to set an arbitrary length of each said second side segments, while maintaining each said second side segments disconnected from each said first, second, third and fourth strap connection members, respectively; maintaining said strap lock of each said first, second, third and fourth strap guide members in said unlocked position so that each said strap locks is disengaged from each said first, second, third and fourth straps, respectively; positioning a body section between said first and second longitudinal brace assemblies; coupling each said first, second, third and fourth strap attachment members with each said first, second, third and fourth strap connection members, respectively, so that said second side segments connect said first and second longitudinal brace assemblies to one another about said body section; displacing said second side segments to slide each said first, second, third and fourth straps through each said first, second, third and fourth strap guide members, respectively, to render said first side segments more taut; displacing each strap lock from said unlocked position to said locked position, thereby changing each said first side segments from said arbitrary length to a desired fixed length; and displacing said second end segments to slide each said first, second, third and fourth straps through each said first, second, third and fourth strap attachment members, respectively, to render said second side segments more taut and change said second side segments from said arbitrary length to a desired fixed length.