US 5,176,623 A · Multiple fixed angle orthopaedic appliance

Abstract

An orthopaedic brace for articulated joints of the human body and the members of the body joined by such joints is comprised of support members for securement to respective body members on opposite sides of the joint and a hinge assembly connecting the support members and providing an axis of oscillation aligned with the axis of articulation of the joint; the hinge assembly including retention surfaces on one hinge member and a locking device on another hinge member cooperative with the retention surfaces for supporting the joint and the associated body members in any one of a plurality of fixed angle positions during normal activity; for quick release from the fixed position to a free-floating condition to enable the wearer to periodically engage the therapeutic and/or rehabilitative exercise of the joint without having to remove the brace; and for quick and facile return to the selected fixed angle position without having to engage in tedious readjustment of the brace following execise. In the preferred embodiment illustrated and described, the appliance comprises a lower leg and ankle walker for holding the foot and ankle in any one of a plurality of fixed positions and for release from the fixed position to a free floating condition to accomodate rehabilitative afrticulation of the ankle in both dorsiflexion and plantar flexion.

An orthopaedic lower leg and ankle walker for supporting the lower leg, ankle and foot of a patient, comprising

a shoe for reception of the foot of the patient, said shoe including upwardly extending lateral and medial sidewall portions each terminating below the malleolus of the ankle of the patient,
of said shoe extending upwardly respectively from of said shoe extending upwardly respectively from respective ones of said sidewall portions outwardly of the malleolus on respective sides of the patient's ankle,
a pair of lower leg support members extending upwardly respectively from the malleolus on the respective sides of the patient's ankle along the respective sides of the patient's leg,
a pair of second hinge members located respectively at the lower ends of respective ones of said leg support members,
means connecting the second hinge member on each side of the patient's ankle to the first hinge member on the same side of the patient's ankle for oscillatory movement about an axis substantially aligned with the axis of articulation of the patient's ankle,
second hinge members on at least
one of said first and second hinge members on at least one side of the patient's ankle including retention means in the form of an arc substantially concentric with the axis of oscillation between said hinge members on said one side of the ankle,
locking means associated with and adjustably mounted on the other one of said first and second hinge members on said at least one side of the patient's ankle in alignment with said retention means, said locking means being selectively engageable with said retention means and including at least one surface portion lockingly engageable with said retention means,
said retention means and locking means being so arranged relative to one another that said locking means is aligned with a mid-portion of the arc of said retention means when said shoe is generally perpendicular to said leg support members,
said locking means being adjustable to engage said surface thereof with said retention means for selectively locking said hinge members together in said position wherein said shoe is perpendicular to said leg support members and in any of a plurality of positions in dorsiflexion and plantar flexion of said shoe relative to said leg support members within the limits of the arc of said retention means, and to be disengaged from said retention means while remaining associated with said other hinge member to accommodate free floating oscillatory movement of said shoe relative to said leg support members in both dorsiflexion and plantar flexion, whereby said hinge members may be locked in any of a plurality of selected positions of adjustment, quickly released from such position to accommodate rehabilitative exercise of the patient's ankle in plantar flexion and dorsiflexion, and quickly returned to and locked in the selected position of adjustment, and
means for releasably securing said shoe to the patient's foot and said leg support members to the opposite sides of the patient's leg.

8 more elements

Multiple fixed angle orthopaedic appliance

Life of this patent

Multiple fixed angle orthopaedic appliance

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims22