Brace for applying a dynamic force to a jointed limb

A brace for applying a dynamic force to a jointed limb of a patient comprising:

• a first brace portion adapted for connection to a first portion of a patient's limb on a first side of a joint in the limb;
• a second brace portion adapted for connection to a second portion of the patient's limb on a second side of the joint;
• a pivotal connection between the first and second brace portions adapted to be generally aligned with the joint in the limb when the brace is attached to the patient's limb;
• a tension module including;
• a slider mounted for sliding movement against a resilient force,
• at least one resilient element in contact with the slider for generating the resilient force, and
• a rotatable shaft mounted on the slider;
• first and second cable assemblies, each having a movable inner cable having first and second ends, the first ends of the first and second movable inner cables being wound on the shaft, with the first movable inner cable of the first cable assembly being wound in a clockwise direction on the shaft and the second movable inner cable of the second cable assembly being wound in a counter-clockwise direction on the shaft;
• and
• a first drive unit having a first part attached to one of the first and second brace portions, and a second part, which is movable with respect to the first part, attached to the other of the first and second brace portions, the second ends of the movable inner cables being attached to the second part such that rotation of the rotatable shaft in a clockwise direction applies a dynamic tension force on one of the inner cables by moving the slider against the resilient force, the dynamic tension force on the one of the inner cables being transferred to the second part of the first drive unit to impart one of a clockwise moment and a counter clockwise moment on the first brace portion relative to the second brace portion, and rotation of the rotatable shaft in a counter-clockwise direction applies a dynamic tension force on the other of the inner cables, the dynamic tension force on the other of the inner cables being transferred to the second part of the first drive unit to impart the other of the clockwise moment and the counter-clockwise moment on the first brace portion relative to the second brace portion.

A method of applying a dynamic force to a patient's limb to stretch contracted tissue, comprising the steps of:

• (a) positioning a brace having a first brace portion pivotally connected to a second brace portion such that the first brace portion is adapted for connection to a first portion of a patient's limb on a first side of a joint in the limb and the second brace portion is adapted for connection to a second portion of the patient's limb on a second side of the joint;
• (b) rotating a shaft in one of a clockwise and a counter-clockwise direction, the shaft being connected to a slider mounted in a tension module for movement against a resilient force, the rotation of the shaft creating a dynamic tension force in one of a first movable inner cable and a second movable inner cable wound around the shaft, the first movable inner cable being wound in a clockwise direction around the shaft and the second movable inner cable being wound in a counter-clockwise direction around the shaft, rotation of the shaft causing one of the first and second movable inner cables to wind up on the shaft moving the slider against the resilient force;
• and
• (c) applying a moment in one of a clockwise and a counter-clockwise direction on the first brace portion relative to the second brace portion via the one of the first and second movable inner cables which is being wound upon the shaft acting on a drive unit, the drive unit having a first part fixed to the first brace portion and a second part fixed to the second brace portion, the first and second movable inner cables being attached to the second part such that the tension force on the one of the first and second inner cables resulting from rotation of the shaft is transferred to the second part of the first drive unit to impart one of a clockwise and a counter-clockwise moment on the first brace portion relative to the second brace portion to apply a dynamic load to the patient's limb to stretch the contracted tissue.