Means for supporting a limb in relaxed position

Abstract

A flexible support is provided designed to be positioned along the inner area of an elbow or knee to prevent the limb from remaining in an extended position but to hold and restrain the limb in a relaxed angular position. The support is formed with a padded curved portion held in position inwardly of the elbow or knee joint by means of suitably positioned straps thus serving to compel the limb in question to remain in a relaxed angular position.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Knee and elbow joints frequently undergo strain and inflamation due to athletics, arthritis, and cause pain especially if diliberately or inadvertently become extended in a vertical or fully extended position, even during periods of rest or sleep. It has been found by orthopedic surgeons that restraints such as casts or slings or bandages are frequently necessary to minimize these strains and encourage rest or healing of painful joints. Even where such painful joints do not exist, restraints of this type may be useful as a preventive or prophylactic measure, and such a restraint which will permit somewhat limited use of a limb would be highly desirable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A restraining member is provided to be positioned inside the elbow or knee joint and having straps adapted to pass around the limb members above and below the joint to hold a pad member in position while restraining the limb members in an angular position of rest, said angular position generally being within about 15.degree. to 175.degree. from the extended position in the case of the arm and from about 15.degree. to about 90.degree. from the extended position in the case of the knee.

The device of the invention is especially useful in cases of tendonitis or "tennis elbow" and similar strains as the results of golf, football, etc. and following surgical treatment of knee and elbow joints.

The device of the invention may be worn while carrying on normal activities. In the case of the elbow or knee a certain amount of flexibility in the device will permit limited but restrained use of the limb, even when engaging in sports where such use is permissible as long as full extension of the limb is avoided.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a view in elevation of a device of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view partly in elevation and partly in cross section along lines 2--2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view in elevation showing a device of the invention in position on an elbow.

FIG. 4 is a view in elevation showing the device of the invention in position on a knee.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In FIGS. 1 and 2, pad 10 is preferably rectangular in shape and contoured to have a flat bottom surface and an upper surface with a greater diameter along a center line as shown at 11. It may be provided with perforation as shown at 12 for purposes of ventilation. The pad is formed of flexible material such as sheet plastic, fabric, or soft suedized leather or artificial leather to provide a comfortable surface in contact with the skin. The pad is filled with soft resilient material such as sponge rubber, sponge polyvinyl polymer, cotton padding, felt or the like. Where necessary, the bottom surface of the pad may be reinforced with a semirigid member such as a flexible sheet of metal or plastic. Opposite sides of the pad are provided with a spaced pair of straps on each side, 13, 17 and 15, 19, which may be of elastic material or not, depending on degree of tightness and movement desired after the device is in place. Each strap is provided with one or more extensions as at 14, 14a, 18, 18a, 16, 16a and 20, 20a, to serve as fastening members. These fasteners may be of conventional metal or plastic buckle type, but because of ease of attachment, comfort and adjustability, it is preferred that these fastening members be formed of hook and loop fastening strips of the type known as "Velcro," as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,717,437; 3,192,589; 3,387,341, etc.

As shown in FIG. 3, pad 10 is held in place with contoured area 11 fitting within the crook of an elbow. The upper and lower arms are held in a relaxed angular position (about 90.degree. as shown) by means of strips 15 and 19 drawn firmly around the upper and lower arms as shown and fastened to the cooperating straps shown in FIG. 1. The leverage exerted by these straps coacting with the pad will tend to restrain the arms and keep them in the approximate desired angular position, avoiding full extension of the arm.

A similar result is obtained when the device is used on a knee as shown in FIG. 4, where pad 10a is held in place with contoured area 11a positioned within the crook of the knee and the thigh and leg held in angular relationship by straps 15a and 19a fastened to cooperating straps, as shown.

Claims

I claim:

1. Means for supporting a limb in a relaxed angular position which comprises a resilient contoured pad having a semirigid backing adapted to engage the inside surfaces of the joint between upper and members of the limb, said pad and said backing being bent at an angle of at least 15.degree. and a pair of cooperating strap members affixed to said pad and adapted to lie above and below said joint and adapted to surround said upper and lower members with sufficient tension to exert leverage upon said members and said joint to retain said members in angular position with respect to each other, said pad and said strap members cooperating to restrain said limb from being extended and maintained in an angular position.

2. Means according to claim 1 wherein the pad is adapted to conform to the inner joint of an elbow and is held in position by straps extending aroung the upper and lower arms, and wherein the angular position is between about 15.degree. and 175.degree. from the extended position.

3. Means according to claim 1 wherein the pad is adapted to conform to the inner portion of a knee joint and the straps extend around thigh and leg portions of the knee, and wherein the angular position is between about 15.degree. and 90.degree. from the extended position.

4. Means according to claim 1 comprising a pair of strap members extending from each side of said pad, said strap members of each pair being spaced from each other, each such strap having a fastening member affixed thereto for engagement with a cooperating fastening member affixed to a strap extending from the opposite side.

5. Means according to claim 4 wherein the cooperating fastening members are elements of the hook and loop fabric type.