Method of and apparatus for patella support

A unitary hinged knee support apparatus adapted to accommodate a leg portion of a user, the apparatus comprising:

• a sleeve extended at both ends into a plurality of straps;
• a patella opening;
• an upper fastener assembly having an upper inner strap extended from a first upper end of the apparatus and an upper outer strap extended from a second upper end of the apparatus, the upper outer strap having a fastener at a distal end;
• a lower fastener assembly having a lower inner strap extended from a first lower end of the apparatus and a lower outer strap extended from a second lower end of the apparatus, the lower outer strap having a fastener at a distal end;
• a plurality of slots around a patella opening;
• and
• the apparatus adapted to receive a buttress comprising a plurality of straps, the buttress being adapted to be adjustably positioned on an inside surface of the apparatus around a location on a circumferential edge of the patella opening.

A method for properly aligning a user's patella, the method comprising:

• providing a unitary patella stabilizer sleeve having an upper fastener assembly comprising a first inner strap and a first outer strap and a lower fastener assembly comprising a second inner strap and a second outer strap;
• wrapping the inner straps around a back portion of a knee;
• wrapping the outer straps over the inner straps and around to a front portion of the knee;
• securing, via the first inner and outer straps of the upper fastener assembly, a thigh region of the user;
• securing, via the second inner and outer straps of the lower fastener assembly, a calf region of the user;
• and
• adjustably positioning, on an inside surface of the patella stabilizer around a location on a circumferential edge of a patella opening, a buttress comprising a plurality of straps for varying compression and alignment around the user's patella by increasing or decreasing tightness of the plurality of buttress straps.