U.S. patent number 3,584,622 [Application Number 04/789,275] was granted by the patent office on 1971-06-15 for support device for prevention of ankle injuries.
Invention is credited to Alfonso J. Domenico.
United States Patent |
3,584,622 |
Domenico |
June 15, 1971 |
SUPPORT DEVICE FOR PREVENTION OF ANKLE INJURIES
Abstract
A support device for prevention of ankle injuries is disclosed,
wherein a support member of flexible sheet material includes a foot
receiving member adapted to receive the rear portion of a wearer's
foot and cover the ankle, and stirrup portions extending upwardly
from the foot receiving member and adapted to contact opposite
sides of the wearer's leg, above the ankle. No part of the foot
receiving member intrudes into the area of the calf muscles of the
wearer, so that restriction of movement of the Achilles' tendon is
avoided. Also, no part of the foot receiving member extends
forwardly beyond the metatarsus of the wearer's foot, and the
forward and upper portions of the foot receiving member are open to
avoid restriction of desired foot movement.
Inventors: |
Domenico; Alfonso J.
(Philadelphia, PA) |
Family
ID: |
25147141 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/789,275 |
Filed: |
January 6, 1969 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
602/65; 36/89;
36/87 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61F
13/066 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A61F
13/06 (20060101); A61f 013/06 (); A43b
007/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;128/166,82,83,85,99,8H
;36/2.5 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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12,988 |
|
1894 |
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GB |
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314,901 |
|
Oct 1919 |
|
DT |
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Primary Examiner: Pace; Channing L.
Assistant Examiner: Pace; Channing L.
Claims
I claim:
1. An ankle support constructed of flexible sheet material and
comprising a foot receiving member open at the instep to receive
the rear portion of a foot and adapted to cover the ankle of a
wearer, said foot receiving member including a forwardly extending
portion adapted to contact a portion of the sole of the foot and
extend no further forward than the forward extreme of the
metatarsus, and an upwardly extending portion adapted to contact
the rear of the foot and leg adjacent the Achilles tendon, said
upwardly extending portion being so dimensioned as to terminate
short of the calf muscle of a wearer, stirrup portions extending
upwardly from opposite sides of said foot receiving member and
adapted to contact opposite sides of the leg of the wearer above
the ankle, and a coating of adhesive material on the inner surface
of said foot receiving member and said stirrups for coupling said
support to the foot and leg of a wearer.
2. An ankle support constructed of flexible sheet material and
comprising a foot receiving member open at the instep to receive
the rear portion of a foot and adapted to cover the ankle of a
wearer, said foot receiving member including a forwardly extending
portion adapted to contact a portion of the sole of the foot, and
an upwardly extending portion adapted to contact the rear of the
foot and leg adjacent the Achilles tendon, said upwardly extending
portion being adapted to terminate short of the calf muscle of a
wearer, stirrup portions extending upwardly from opposite sides of
said foot receiving member and adapted to contact opposite sides of
the leg of a wearer above the ankle and a coating of adhesive
material on the inner surface of said foot receiving member and
said stirrups for coupling said support to the foot and leg of a
wearer.
3. An ankle support in accordance with claim 2, wherein said
support is constructed of a flexible plastic polymeric
material.
4. An ankle support constructed of a flexible sheet material and
comprising a foot receiving member open at the instep to receive
the rear portion of a foot and adapted to cover the ankle of a
wearer, said foot receiving member including a forwardly extending
portion adapted to contact a portion of the sole of the foot and
extend no further forward than the forward extreme of the
metatarsus, and an upwardly extending portion adapted to contact
the rear of the foot and leg adjacent the Achilles tendon, said
upwardly extending portion being so dimensioned as to terminate
short of the calf muscle of the wearer, stirrup portions extending
upwardly from opposite sides of said foot receiving member and
adapted to contact opposite sides of the leg of a wearer above the
ankle, and means for coupling said support to the foot and leg of a
wearer, comprising closure means for selectively interconnecting
opposite sides of said foot receiving member, and further closure
means interconnecting only front portions of said stirrup
portions.
5. An ankle support constructed of flexible sheet material and
comprising a foot receiving member open at the instep to receive
the rear portion of a foot and adapted to cover the ankle of a
wearer, said foot receiving member including a forwardly extending
portion adapted to contact a portion of the sole of the foot of a
wearer, said forwardly extending portion being adapted to extend no
further forward on the foot than the forward extreme of the
metatarsus, stirrup portions extending upwardly from opposite sides
of said foot receiving member and adapted to contact opposite sides
of the leg of a wearer above the ankle, and a coating of adhesive
material on the inner surface of said foot receiving member and
said stirrups for coupling said support to the foot and leg of a
wearer.
Description
This invention relates to a support device for the prevention of
ankle injuries. More particularly, this invention relates to a
protective support device for preventing injuries such as ankle
sprains to persons, particularly youths, engaging in athletic
events.
The ankle is one of the most common sites of injury sustained
during athletic events. Injury to the connective tissues of the
ankle commonly occurs in athletes of all ages, but is most common
in persons between the ages of 8 and 20 years, for reasons set
forth below.
The area of human anatomy known as the ankle comprises the lower
terminus of the fibula and tibia bones of the leg. The fibula and
tibia articulate with the bone of the foot known as the astragalus.
The astragalus in turn articulates with the other bones of the
foot, including the calcaneus or heel bone, and the scaphoid. This
section of the foot is known generally as the instep or tarsus. The
forwardmost bones of the tarsus articulate in turn with the
metatarsals. The metatarsals are in turn articulated with the bones
of the toes.
Sharp turning of the ankle, which is of course likely to occur in
many forms of athletics, may result in overstressing of the
ligaments and tendons in the area of the ankle and tarsus, and thus
in the injury commonly known as a "sprain."
Persons other than adults are especially susceptible to ankle
injuries due to the developmental process of the bones of the lower
leg and foot during maturation. In children, the lower extremity of
the fibula, known as the external malleolus, is cartilaginous. The
cartilaginous extremity is referred to in medical terms as an
epiphysis. The process of ossification takes place in the lower
extremity from age 2 to about age 20, at which time the epiphysis
is fused to the fibula.
Fracture of the epiphysis of the fibula is a quite common injury,
and one frequently encountered in young participants in
athletics.
Ankle injuries are demonstrably fewer in well-conditioned athletes.
Because they frequently engage in athletics without proper
conditioning, and because of the above-described peculiarities of
the skeletal development, young people are particularly apt to
suffer ankle injuries.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel and
unobvious support device to aid in the prevention of ankle
injuries.
It is another object of the invention to provide a support device
applicable to the foot or sock of a wearer, and effective lessen
the risk of sprain or epiphyseal injury.
It is still another object of this invention to provide a support
device which substantially lessens the risk of ankle injury with
minimal restriction of foot movement.
Other objects will appear hereinafter.
For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there are shown in
the drawings forms which are presently preferred; it being
understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the
precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view, partially broken away, showing one
form of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a side elevation view, showing the support device in
accordance with the invention, in place on the foot of a
wearer;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the lower and rear parts of a
foot of a wearer, with the device of the present invention in
place;
FIG. 4 is a front elevation view, showing the device in place on a
wearer's foot.
Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein like numerals
indicate like elements, there is seen in FIG. 1 a support device
designated generally by the reference numeral 10.
The support device 10, in the embodiment seen in FIG. 1, comprises
a body member or shell 12, shaped to conform generally to the rear
portion of the foot and lower leg. A layer 14 of adhesive material
is applied to an inner face of the shell 12.
The shell 12 comprises a foot receiving member 16 conforming
generally in shape to the rear portion of a foot. The foot
receiving member 16 is open at the instep to receive the foot, and
as best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, is so dimensioned as to cover the
ankle joint of a wearer. The foot receiving member 16 includes a
forwardly extending portion 18 adapted to contact a portion of the
sole of the foot. The forwardly extending portion 18 extends no
further forwardly along the foot than to about the forward extreme
of the metatarsus.
The foot receiving member 16 is defined, at its rearward limit, by
an upwardly extending portion 20, adapted to contact the rear of
the foot and leg adjacent the lower extreme of the Achilles'
tendon. As seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the upwardly extending portion 20
terminates short of the calf muscles of the wearer.
Stirrup portions 22 extend upwardly from side portions 24 of the
foot receiving member 16, on opposite sides on the leg of the
wearer.
Securement of the stirrup portions 22 to the leg insures tension in
the stirrup portions 22 and the side portions 24 of foot receiving
member 16, particularly at the areas overlying the ankle joint.
Also, tension in the stirrup portions 22 causes the rear of the
wearer's foot to seat snugly in the pocket member 16. If the
support device 10 is properly fitted, the wearer cannot feel its
presence.
It is contemplated that the present support device 10 be made in
several sizes. For example, the support device 10 could be made
"small", "medium" and "large" sizes, or even in sizes corresponding
to ordinary sock or shoe sizes.
The generally V-shaped opening defined by rear edges of the stirrup
portions 22 and an upper edge of the upwardly extending portion 20
prevents restriction of movement of the calf muscle and Achilles'
tendon. Such restriction, if present, would interfere with normal
running. Moreover, because the foot receiving member 16 is
substantially open at the front, and the forwardly extending
portion 18 terminates at about the forward extreme of the
metatarsus, the support device 10 does not interfere with
plantarflexion or dorsiflexion of the foot.
The present support device 10 can be applied directly to the skin
of the wearer. Alternatively, can be applied over the sock. In the
embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the layer 14 of adhesive material
serves to couple the support device 10 to the foot of a wearer.
Although the layer 14 is the presently preferred means for applying
the device 10 to the foot, other means can be used.
For example, there is seen in FIGS. 2 to 4, an alternative form,
wherein elements corresponding to those shown in FIG. 1 are
represented by like reference numerals. In the embodiment shown in
FIGS. 2 to 4, strips 26 of adhesive tape or the like are applied
across the front of the body member or shell 12 of the support
device 10. It is within the scope of the present invention to
provide means other than those illustrated to couple the support
device 10 to the foot. For example, flaps having snap fasteners at
their ends, matable with fasteners on the body member 12, could be
used.
The body member 12 may be constructed with any suitable flexible
sheet material. For example, sheet polyethylene, vinyl or like
plastic polymeric material may be used. The thickness of the
material forming the body member 12 is not critical, although the
yield stress of the material should not be exceeded by the stresses
encountered in usage. The material may be formed in any
conventional manner to conform generally to the back portion of the
foot. It is not necessary that the support device 10 be tailored to
conform the foot of each individual wearer. Provision of the
support device 10 in standard sizes is sufficient.
Although disclosed primarily as a device for the prevention of
ankle injuries, the present device 10 is also believed effective in
reducing other athletic injuries to the rear portion of the foot.
For example, the device 10 reduces the likelihood of injury to the
epiphysis of the calcaneus, a common heel injury in young
persons.
The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms
without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof
and, accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims
rather than to the specification as indicating the scope of the
invention.
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