Patent ID: 7014621

Claim:
An ankle brace, comprising: (a) a base of flexible material shaped to wrap around the sides of a foot and ankle and underneath a portion of the foot, the base having first and second sides, the first and second sides each having a forward edge; and (b) a support strap having a first end fixed to the base adjacent to the forward edge of the first side of the base and a second end fixed to the base adjacent to the forward edge of the second side of the base, wherein the support strap is not otherwise fixed to the base; wherein the first and second sides of the base each have a rear edge and the rear edges of the first and second sides each have an upper portion and a middle portion, and further comprising an upper rear panel having a first end fixed to the upper portion of the rear edge of the first side of the base and a second end fixed to the upper portion of the rear edge of the second side of the base; and further comprising a middle rear panel having a first end fixed to the middle portion of the rear edge of the first side of the base and a second end fixed to the middle portion of the rear edge of the second side of the base; wherein the upper rear panel is formed of material which stretches in both the horizontal and vertical directions and the middle rear panel is formed of material which stretches in the horizontal direction but is substantially inelastic in the vertical direction.