Patent ID: 8425442

Claim:
An ankle brace configured to provide support of the ankle joint between the leg and foot, said ankle brace comprising: an upper brace structure configured to be attached to the leg and anchor the ankle brace above malleoli of the joint; a heel plate positioned below the upper brace structure and configured to be located below the heel to anchor the ankle brace below the malleoli, said heel plate including a substantially flat base and upright lateral and medial walls that extend upwardly from the base; and an elongated strap adjustably attached to the upper brace structure and heel plate and extending exteriorly along at least one of the lateral and medial walls, said heel plate presenting an open longitudinal channel extending between the lateral and medial walls and operable to receive the foot, said heel plate having anterior and posterior open channel ends so that the channel is devoid of an upright wall, with adjustable tensioning of the strap serving to flex the at least one of the lateral and medial walls relative to the base to conform the heel plate to the heel, said elongated strap dimensioned and configured to extend distally from the upper brace structure to the heel plate, said elongated strap including a flexible fabric strip that presents opposite faces, said elongated strap including a high-friction coating applied to at least one of the faces and extending to the heel plate, said faces exhibiting a strip self-coefficient of friction and said coating exhibiting a coating self-coefficient of friction greater than the strip self-coefficient of friction, with the coating thereby configured to secure the elongated strap at the heel plate and restrict strap movement relative to the foot.