DE202023103123U1 - Orthosis to avoid lateral patellar dislocations - Google Patents

Abstract

An orthosis for avoiding lateral patellar luxations, comprising a rigid frame (1) which has at least one upper rigid frame part (2) which is stable in shape, a lower rigid frame part which is stable in shape (3) and joint means (4) which have at least a first and a second joint part (4A, 4B ), wherein the first joint part (4A) is rigidly connected to the upper rigid frame part (2) that is stable in shape, the second joint part (4B) is rigidly connected to the lower rigid frame part (3) that is stable in shape, the hinge means (4) connecting the upper and connect the lower dimensionally stable rigid frame part (2, 3) to one another in an articulated manner,
an incompressible lateral stop (5) for laterally supporting a patella (10) and
a rigid support (6) which holds the lateral stop (5), the rigid support (6) having a continuous opening (7) through which a holding element of the lateral stop (5) extends.

Description

TECHNICAL AREA

The present invention relates to an orthosis for avoiding lateral patellar luxations.

An orthosis will be understood to mean an object that can be held around a human's knee and serves to support the patella (kneecap).

BACKGROUND

There is a risk, particularly as a result of an injury, that the patella will slip out of its socket if the load is unfavorable. This is known as a luxating patella. "Lateral" indicates that this unwanted displacement of the kneecap occurs in a lateral direction away from the center of the body.

A conventional orthosis can be formed, for example, by an elastic tubular body which, when in use, surrounds the knee and has a recess for the kneecap. Because of the flexibility of such an orthosis, however, the kneecap is only supported relatively weakly.

In principle, harder, less flexible components can be used. Depending on the flexion of the knee, however, there is a gap to the patella or too much pressure is exerted on the patella.

Reliable support of the kneecap is also not achieved with other known orthoses.

SHORT VERSION

It is an object of the invention to provide an orthosis that avoids luxating the patella as reliably as possible for largely any leg movements.

This problem is solved with an orthosis according to claim 1 . Advantageous configurations are specified in the dependent claims and the following description.

According to the invention, an orthosis for avoiding lateral luxations of the patella comprises a rigid frame which comprises at least one upper, dimensionally stable rigid frame part, a lower dimensionally stable rigid frame part and joint means. The articulation means comprise at least two articulations, which in each case articulately connect the upper and the lower dimensionally stable rigid frame part to one another. In addition, the orthosis includes a lateral stop for lateral support of a kneecap. The lateral stop consists of non-compressible material, such as silicone.

The invention thus differs from a so-called soft brace, which includes a very flexible frame, in the first place by the hard frame. The dimensional stability of its hard frame parts indicates in particular that these are not flexible or at least less flexible in comparison to textiles or rubber materials. The shape of the rigid frame can be changed solely or essentially solely by the articulation means and in a predetermined manner. In this way, a secure contact of the lateral stop can advantageously be ensured even when forced into a flexion-valgus-external rotation position.

When in use, the lateral stop exerts lateral pressure on the kneecap. An essential idea of the invention can be seen in the fact that the lateral stop should not give way in the event of an undesired load on the leg. This requires the non-compressible material of the lateral stop. In contrast to soft plastic with padding or bandages with a round ventral patella opening, this largely prevents the lateral stop from being displaced too far and not fulfilling its support function when the kneecap presses against the lateral stop.

Silicone as a material for the lateral stop avoids pressure points, but is sufficiently hard or rigid. Other suitable materials can also be used.

The lateral stop preferably consists of a mold material, the shape of which is manufactured individually according to an individual mold of a respective patient's knee. A lateral stop is therefore not simply selected from a group of predetermined lateral stops for a specific patient. Rather, information about the shape of the knee area is obtained by taking an impression, which is reflected in the lateral stop that is then produced. For example, an optical impression can be taken in which a 3D model of the knee area is determined, for example, by camera recordings. The individual shape of the lateral stop offers particularly secure contact with the kneecap.

Inexpensive, precise and rapid fabrication of the shape of the molding material is achieved when the molding material is brought into a malleable state and applied to a patient's knee or a patient's knee replica is deformed. In this case, a patient's knee replica designates an individual replica of the knee area of the respective patient.

The entire spatial range of motion of the knee area should be taken into account when shaping the lateral stop. This can be achieved by a function imprint. Thus, a shape of the molding material is produced by bringing it into a deformable state and deforming it on a patient's knee or replica patient's knee while moving the patient's knee or replica patient's knee through a physiologically possible range of motion. As a result, the orthosis does not restrict freedom of movement or only restricts it unintentionally.

the lateral stop may be shaped to have areas of contact with the patella and particularly with at least one of: the femur (ie, thigh bone), the fibula (ie, fibula), and the tibia (ie, tibia). In particular, one or more contact areas can exist for all of the aforementioned leg components. As a result, in the event of unwanted strain on the leg, a stabilizing pressure is not only exerted on the patella, but also on neighboring leg areas.

A rigid carrier is preferably provided which holds the lateral stop and is connected to the rigid frame. The carrier can therefore be expediently located between the lateral stop and the rigid frame and can be made of a different material than the lateral stop.

Preferably, the rigid support is made of one or more materials that are less flexible than the material of the lateral stop. For example, the carrier can include or consist of carbon and/or polymeric plastics.

It can be advantageous if the rigid support consists of at least two materials that differ in their flexural rigidity. In addition to carbon, for example, aromatic polyamides such as Kevlar can be used.

Depending on the location, greater rigidity or greater flexibility can be achieved through the different materials. This is particularly advantageous when there is a medial attachment means for connecting the rigid support to a medial portion of the rigid frame. Here, the rigid support material with the lower bending stiffness can be located between the medial attachment means and the rigid support material with the higher bending stiffness. In particular, the material with the lower flexural rigidity can be arranged on a portion of the carrier which is proximal in relation to the patella and on a distal portion which is spaced apart therefrom.

The lateral stop can be rigidly connected laterally to the hard frame and can be connected to the hard frame as a medial attachment means by a tension belt for pulling the lateral stop against the kneecap. A tension band can be achieved, for example, by one or more flexible bands. These are preferably not or hardly elastic, ie have a predetermined, essentially unchangeable length.

"Medial" means the side pointing from the kneecap towards the opposite knee. "Lateral" indicates the opposite direction, i.e. pointing away from the other knee or from the center of the body.

The joint means can be designed to move the lateral stop away from the joint means when the upper and lower dimensionally stable rigid frame parts are angled. This accounts for the fact that the circumference of the knee increases as the knee bends. Conversely, in an extension, the more endangered position of the knee for luxating the patella, the lateral stop moves in towards the rigid frame area to which it is rigidly connected. In this way, a free space between the stop and the patella is largely avoided.

Alternatively or additionally, the joint means can be designed to move a fastening section of the hard frame, to which the medial fastening means are connected, when the upper and lower dimensionally stable rigid frame parts are angled such that tension on the medial fastening means is reduced. This also takes into account the change in circumference of the knee during flexion.

character list

• 1 ist eine schematische Darstellung eines Ausführungsbeispiels der erfindungsgemäßen Orthese.

Further effects and features of the invention are described below with reference to the attached schematic figures:

• 1 is a schematic representation of an embodiment of the orthosis according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

1 shows schematically an embodiment of an orthosis according to the invention. The orthosis to prevent lateral patellar dislocation includes a rigid frame 1, which has at least one upper dimensionally stable rigid frame part 2, a lower dimensionally stable rigid frame part 3 and joint means 4, which comprise at least a first and a second joint part 4A, 4B. The first joint part 4A is rigidly connected to the upper dimensionally stable rigid frame part 2 . The second joint part 4B is rigidly connected to the lower dimensionally stable rigid frame part 3 . The articulation means 4 connect the upper and lower dimensionally stable rigid frame parts 2, 3 to one another in an articulated manner. An incompressible lateral stop 5 supports a patella 10 laterally. A rigid support 6 holds the lateral stop 5, the rigid support 6 having a continuous opening 7 through which a holding element of the lateral stop 5 extends.

A secure hold of the kneecap can be achieved with the orthosis according to the invention. An unwanted gap towards the patella can advantageously be avoided for largely any knee movements.

Claims (11)

An orthosis for avoiding lateral patellar luxations, comprising a rigid frame (1) which has at least one upper rigid frame part (2) which is stable in shape, a lower rigid frame part which is stable in shape (3) and joint means (4) which have at least a first and a second joint part (4A, 4B ), wherein the first joint part (4A) is rigidly connected to the upper rigid frame part (2) that is stable in shape, the second joint part (4B) is rigidly connected to the lower rigid frame part (3) that is stable in shape, the hinge means (4) connecting the upper and connect the lower dimensionally stable rigid frame part (2, 3) to one another in an articulated manner, an incompressible lateral stop (5) for laterally supporting a patella (10) and a rigid support (6) which holds the lateral stop (5), the rigid support (6) having a continuous opening (7) through which a holding element of the lateral stop (5) extends. The orthosis after claim 1 , wherein the lateral stop (5) consists of a mold material, the shape of which is produced individually according to an individual mold of a respective patient's knee. The orthosis after claim 2 wherein a shape of the molding material is made by bringing it into a deformable state and deforming it on a patient's knee or replica patient's knee. The orthosis according to one of the Claims 1 until 3 wherein the lateral stop (5) is shaped to have areas of contact with the patella and in particular with at least one of: the femur, the fibula and the tibia. The orthosis according to one of the Claims 1 until 4 , wherein the rigid support (6) is connected to the rigid frame (1). The orthosis after claim 5 , wherein the rigid support (6) consists of one or more materials which are less flexible than the material of the lateral stop (5). The orthosis after claim 5 or 6 , wherein the rigid support (6) consists of at least two materials which differ in their flexural rigidity. The orthosis after claim 7 , wherein a medial attachment means for connecting the rigid support (6) to a medial section of the rigid frame (1) is present, that the material of the rigid support (6) with the lower flexural rigidity between the medial attachment means and the material of the rigid support ( 6) with the greater bending stiffness. The orthosis according to one of the Claims 1 until 8th , wherein the lateral stop (5) is rigidly connected laterally to the hard frame (1) and is connected to the hard frame (1) as a medial fastening means by a tension belt for pulling the lateral stop (5) against the kneecap. The orthosis according to one of the Claims 1 until 9 , wherein the articulation means are designed to move the lateral stop (5) away from the articulation means when the upper and lower dimensionally stable rigid frame parts (2, 3) are angled. The orthosis according to one of the Claims 1 until 10 , wherein the joint means are designed to move a fastening section of the hard frame (1) to which the medial fastening means are connected when the upper and lower rigid frame parts (3) are angled such that tension in the medial fastening means decreases.

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