GB2156225A

GB2156225A - Arm support

Info

Publication number: GB2156225A
Application number: GB08507180A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Annette Mary Steed
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1984-03-21
Filing date: 1985-03-20
Publication date: 1985-10-09
Also published as: GB8507180D0; GB2156225B

Abstract

An arm support for a hemiplegic patient consists of an armpit pad (11) at the rear of a cradle (12) which extends horizontally forward to support the patient's forearm. Straps (17) and an optional stiffening board (18) are used for securing the support to the arm of a chair, and, for use with an invalid chair having a vertical open topped tube, the support may have a depending peg (22) for engagement in the tube. The cradle (12) is shaped to tend to retain the patient's forearm. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Arm support This invention relates to arm supports for hemiplegic patients. Frequently hemiplegic patients sit with their forearm extended across the chest in a position which does not favour recovery of muscular strength. It is believed however that the useless arm of a hemiplegic patient should be supported with the upper arm depending generally vertically and slightly spaced from the trunk and with the forearm and fingers extending forwardly, and an object of the invention is to provide a device for retaining the patient's arm in such a position.

According to the present invention, an arm support for a hemiplegic patient has any one or more of the following features, either alone or in any combination.

The suport may be in the form of an integral stuffed or inflated cushion having an armpit pad and a forearm cradle with means for retaining the forearm cradle extending generally forwardly horizontally.

The cradle may be generally concave in transverse sections to tend to retain the patient's forearm aginst lateral movement in either sense.

There may be means retaining the armpit portion and the cradle in an appropriate angular relationship of perhaps 900 as seen from the side.

There may be a hand portion at the forward end of the cradle and that may be inclined slightly upwards and may be provided with means for retaining the patient's fingers on it.

There may be a stiffener associated with the cradle portion for use when a chair in which the patient is sitting has an arm which is not sufficiently stiff.

There may be one or more straps or other fastening means for retaining the cradle on the arm of a chair, and such straps may also be used for locating a stiffener which is inserted when necessary.

The support may be generally in the form of a fabric cushion stuffed, whether with any conventional stuffing, or possibly with moulded plastic beads. Again the cushion may be inflatable to avoid the need for stuffing and to give some control over the size of the inflated cushion by matching the degree of inflation to the size of the patient.

The cushion could equally well be of moulded polyurethane or other resilient plastics material.

The material of the cushion other than any stuffing will be conveniently washable.

The support described has the advantage that the armpit portion can fit under the patient's armpit to keep the upper arm spaced a little from his trunk, while the stay can ensure that the cradle extends generally forwardly and horizontally to retain the patient's forearm in the correct position, and that can be assisted by securing the cradle to the arm of a chair in which the patient is sitting. The hand portion for supporting the patient's fingers extending generally forwardly can ensure that all the patient's arm joints are in the best position for recovery.

For securing the cradle to the arm of a chair a depending peg can be used - perhaps secured to the underside of a stiffener board to locate in the open ended tube provided on many invalid chairs to accommodate a table for the patient's use.

In general the support can ensure that the patient sits correctly in a chairwithoutfalling to one side, and that assists recovery.

The invention may be carried into practice in various ways, and one embodiment will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of an arm support for a hemiplegic patient from the front and above; Figure 2 is an underneath view of the support; Figure 3 is a sketch of the arm of a chair with which the support can be used; Figure 4 is a side view showing the support in use on the arm of a wheel chair, and Figure 5 is a sectional elevation of an adjustable board for use with the support.

The support is generally in the form of a stuffed fabric or moulded cushion and comprises an armpit pad 11 for fitting under the armpit of the patient, hinged at the rear of a cradle portion 12 extending longitudinally forwards for supporting the patient's forearm. The cradle is separated by two lines of stitching into three rolls 13, of which the patient's forearm in place. At the front of the cradle 12 is a hand portion 14 inclined sightly upwardly by gathering the uppersuface of the material by stitching 19 transversely at the front of the rolls 13.

A side piece 15 in the form of three stuffed fabric sausages is stitched at one side of the armpit pad 11 and halfway along the side of the cradle 12 to retain the armpit and the cradle at an angle of about 190 to each other, as seen in side view, and to support the side of the patient's arm 10.

Two straps 16, each having a buckle 41 and a velcro connection 42, are used to keep the patient's arm in the cradle. They can be buckled and released by the patient using his free arm.

Awebbing strap 17 stitched to the underside of the cradle 12, has its ends tied around the arm 26 of a a chair to retain the cradle securely in place. An optional hardboard or like stiffener board 18 can be held underneath the central roll 13 by loops 24 and by passing the ends of the strap 17 through holes 20 in the board, before tying them to the chair arm. A further strap 30 stitched to the underside of the cradle near the front has its ends passing through further holes 20 and tied together. This sets the longitudinal position of the cradle in relation to the board for the patient concerned.

A block 21 is secured underneath the stiffener board and carries a depending peg 22 which can fit in the top of the metal tube 27 which is a part of the side of many invalid chairs as shown in Figures 3 and 4.

Usually, the tube 23 has a plug which can be removed to allow a depending part of a table to be inserted. But it serves just as well to retain the cradle 12 to prevent it slipping from the arm of the chair.

Thatfixesthe logitudinal position of the board in relation to the chair; the cradle is set by selecting the appropriate holes 20 to suit the particular patient.

A chair having no tube 27 can be adapted by clipping on or otherwise securing, a separate tube 28 to the chair as shown in Figure 3. The board 18 can be in two relatively slidable components one of which 29 carries the peg, while the other 32 can be extended as required as shown in Figure 5. It can be slid back when not in use for the convenience of the patient and nurses.

The support is easily positioned and once it is fitted both to a patient and to a chair, the armpit pad keeps the patient's upper arm slightly spaced away from the body and also supports the shoulder which might otherwise be inclined to drop. The cradle keeps the patient's forearm extending horizontally forwardly and the hand portion retains the fingers extending forwardly. The side piece 15 retains the cradle 12 in relation to the armpit pad 11, and also keeps the elbow correctly positioned and prevents the arm dropping from the cradle. Figure 4 shows how the ends of a further strap 4 can tie the support to the back of a chair.

For securing the strap 40 to the back of a chair, to which it cannot easily be tied, a separate fitting is provided. It consists of short loop of rubber carrying a buckle and an upholstery pin. The pin can be pushed into the back of the chair leaving the buckle avialable for the strap 40 to be tied to it.

The support can be released from the chair by untying the straps 17 and 40.

It is expected that it will be necessary to have left and and right hand models, depending upon which of the patient's arm has no use in it.

It may also be necessary to have several models of different sizes, but it may be possible to design the cushion to be capable of inflation as an alternateve to stuffing it, and then the degree of inflation may be chosen in accordance with the patient's size.

If as first suggested, the cushion is of stuffed fabric, it will be convenient if the fabric is washable.

The stuffing might be capoc, or might, for example consist of polystryrene beads substantially filling the available space.

The fabric or other material should be fire resistant.

If the chair is an upholstered arm chair, it may be easier to attach the strap 17 by pins, rather than by tying. It may also be unnecessary to use the board 18.

For some applications, the cushion will be satisfactory if moulded for example from polyurethane foam. That should be cheaper than stuffed fabric if the quantity required is great enough to merit the cost of the moulding tools.

Claims

1. An arm support for a hemiplegic patient comprising an integral cushion having an armpit pad and a forearm cradle with means for retaining the forearm cradle extending generally forwardly horizontally.

2. A support as claimed in Claim 1 in which the cradle is generally concave in transverse section.

3. A support as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 including means retaining the armpit portion and the cradle in an appropriate angular relationship as seen from the side.

4. A support as claimed in any preceding claim including means for retaining the patient's arm in the cradle.

5. A support as claimed in Claim 4 in which the retaining means is capable of engagement and disengagement by the other arm of the patient.

6. A support as claimed in any preceding claim including a removable stiffener for association with the underside of the cradle.

7. A support as claimed in Claim 6 in which the longitudinal position of the cradle in relation to the stiffener is adjustable and then securable.

8. A support as claimed in any preceding claim including one or more straps or other fastening means for retaining the cradle on the arm of a chair.

9. A support as claimed in any preceding claim in the form of a stuffed cushion.

10. A support as claimed in any preceding claim in which the external material of the cushion and pad is washable.

11. A support as claimed in any preceding claim including a depending peg to locate in an open topped tube.

12. A support for a hemiplegic patient constucted and arranged substantially as herein specifically described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

13. An arm support in use with an armpit portion under a patient's armpit keeping the upper arm spaced a little from his trunk, and a generally forwardly and horizontally extending cradle acting to retain the patient's forearm.

14. An arm support for a patient comprising a forearm cradle and means for retaining the cradle extending generally horizontally and forwardly of the patient.

15. A support as claimed in Claim 14 including releasable means for retaining the patient's forearm in the cradle.