Orthopedic brace securing and tensioning system

A tensioning assembly for orthopedic braces comprising:

• a knob having a spindle with an attached ratchet;
• a spool engaged for rotation by the spindle;
• a floating arm having a first position and a second position, said floating arm including
• a locking tooth extendible into a connection channel in the second position,
• a ratchet release loop positioning a ratchet lock for engagement of the ratchet in the second position;
• a release button for moving the floating arm from the second position to the first position;
• a strap having a bullnose removably receivable in the connection channel, said bullnose having a slot to receive the locking tooth and releasing the floating arm from said first position to said second position upon insertion into the connection channel, said strap extendible from and retractable on the spool.

A knee brace comprising:

• an anterior arch support;
• a medial support extending form the anterior arch support;
• a medial hinge attached to the medial support distal the anterior arch support;
• a relief hinge integrated in the anterior arch support proximate the medial support, said relief hinge having an axis of rotation substantially perpendicular to an axis of rotation of the medial hinge and substantially parallel to an unflexed neutral axis on the medial supports extending through the medial hinge.

A strap quick disconnect assembly mountable to the supports of an orthopedic brace, said quick disconnect assembly comprising:

• a capture shoe with a guidance flap;
• a strap tip having a substantially semi-circular end, a receiving end of the capture shoe also substantially semi-circular in profile;
• a resiliently depressible tongue extending from a surface of the strap tip to be engaged in a capture bracket;
• a release button resiliently mounted to the capture bracket depressable to resiliently deform and flatten the tongue into the tip and release the tip from the capture bracket.