Patent ID: 7553289

Claim:
A knee bracing system, the knee bracing system for extensionally centering and enhancing patellar function, the knee bracing system comprising, in combination: a knee brace, the knee brace comprising an upper bracket assembly, a lower bracket assembly, and laterally-medially opposed spring assemblies, the upper bracket assembly comprising a leg-receiving proximal bracket portion and laterally-medially opposed proximal support arms, the proximal support arms extending distally from the proximal bracket portion, the lower bracket assembly comprising a leg-receiving distal bracket portion and laterally-medially opposed distal support arms, the distal support arms extending proximally from the distal bracket portion, each spring assembly comprising a torsional spring element, a core element, and spring assembly-fastening means, the torsional spring elements receiving the core elements, the spring assembly-fastening means fastening the spring assemblies to the support arms of the upper and lower bracket assemblies at laterally-medially opposed bracket junctions, the proximal bracket portion for receiving an upper leg, the distal bracket portion for receiving a lower leg, the upper and lower leg being coaxially alignable to define a leg axis; a leg-covering garment, the leg-covering garment comprising an inner garment surface, a garment axis, and means for preventing axial garment displacement, the inner garment surface being juxtaposable in superficial adjacency to the knee brace, the garment axis being coaxially alignable with the leg axis; and garment-attachment means, the garment attachment means for removably attaching the knee brace to the inner garment surface and for restricting axial brace displacement relative to the garment axis, the means for preventing axial garment displacement and the garment attachment means for axially positioning the knee brace upon the upper and lower leg, the torsional spring elements being actuable for imparting restorative resistance forces, the restorative resistance forces for enhancing quadriceps muscle contraction during knee extension, the enhanced quadriceps muscle contraction for centering the patella during knee extension and for coaxially aligning the upper and lower leg, the knee bracing system thus for extensionally centering and enhancing patellar function.