GB2318288A

GB2318288A - Leg support

Info

Publication number: GB2318288A
Application number: GB9702199A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Evelyn Freeman
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1996-10-18
Filing date: 1997-02-04
Publication date: 1998-04-22
Also published as: GB9621741D0; GB9702199D0

Abstract

A cushion comprises two lateral portions 12 which are designed to be placed under a patient's legs, and a spacer portion, between the lateral portions designed to extend upwardly between the patient's legs. The cushion may have a basic, generally T-shaped configuration. The cushion is designed to provide relieve from back ache, for example in patients suffering from scoliosis or in pregnant women. It can also be used to prevent leg scissoring in patients who have diminished leg control.

Description

CUSHION The present invention relates to a cushion, and has particular reference to a cushion for use as a medical aid for making comfortable patients suffering from spinal disorders or back aches.

It is well known that patients suffering from back ache such, for example, as pregnant women are often advised to sit with a cushion under their thighs. This has the effect of stretching the lower part of the spine, thus relieving the back ache. However, the weight of the patient's legs resting on the cushion tends to cause the cushion to sag more in the middle than at the sides, thus creating an uneven supporting surface. As a result the patients hips and pelvic bones are rotated inwardly thus giving rise to a slightly awkward sitting posture.

An object of the present invention is to provide a cushion which provides a more comfortable sitting position for patients suffering from back or other spinal disorder such, for example, as scoliosis.

According to one aspect of the present invention therefore there is provided a cushion which comprises two spaced lateral portions which are designed to be placed under a patient's legs, and a spacer portion positioned between the lateral portions, which spacer portion is designed to extend upwardly between the patient's legs.

The cushion of the invention may thus have a basic, generally T-shaped configuration.

In another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of making a patient comfortable, which method comprises placing under the patient's legs a cushion in accordance with the invention, such that the spacer portion extends upwardly between the patient's legs.

In some embodiments, the cushion may be positioned under the patient's thighs, so as to provide relieve from back ache, for example in patients suffering from scoliosis, or pregnant women. In some cases, the spacer portion may be shaped so that where it is disposed between the patient's legs in a normal sitting position, the spacer portion butts on both inner thighs of the patient and urges the patient's legs apart. This tends to counteract the unwanted rotation of the patient's hips and pelvic bones inwardly as a result of sagging of the cushion towards the middle of the cushion.

Alternatively, the cushion of the present invention can be used to prevent scissoring of a patient's legs, and in this way, it is envisaged that the cushion will be useful in caring for patient's suffering from diseases such, for example, as cerebral palsy. To this end, the cushion may be placed, as before under the patients thighs. As an alternative, or in addition, the cushion may be placed under the patient's legs towards his or hers ankles. Of course, more than one cushion can be used as required.

The cushion of the present invention may be generally rectilinear, or may be shaped to locate positively the patient's legs.

Said cushion may be made from any suitable materials which ideally conform to the pertinent health and safety standards which apply for the time-being. It is envisaged that in some cases, the cushion may comprise a cover and a filling. Said filling may be made from foam or fibre, with the resilience of the filling being selected as desired. For example, the foam material may be open-cell or closed-cell, and the density of the foam may be selected to provide a required degree of sponginess.

Alternatively, the cushion may be water-filled or airfilled.

Similarly, the cover may be made from any suitable material. Naturally, where a blow-up cushion is provided or where the cushion is filled with water, the cover will be air- or water-tight as appropriate.

Preferably, the cover will, in any case, be water-proof to enable it to be cleaned easily.

Following is a description by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings of methods of carrying the present invention into effect.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cushion in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a different cushion in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of another cushion in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 4 is a schematic side view of a patient sitting using a cushion in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 5 is another schematic side view of a patient using a cushion in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 6 is yet another schematic side view of a patient lying-down using a cushion in accordance with the present invention.

The cushion shown in Figure 1 has the basic T-shaped configuration which is an essential feature of the present invention. Said cushion (10) comprises two spaced lateral portions (12) and a spacer portion (14) which is disposed between the lateral portions (12). The cushion comprises a foam filling (16) and a flexible, water-proof cover (18), which cover is fitted to the filling (16). Said foam filling (16) may be open-cell or closed-cell foam having a density which is suitable to provide adequate support for a patient. The filling (16) and cover (18) preferably also comply to the relevant health and safety standards which apply for the time-being.

Said cushion (10) is shaped such that it can be placed under a patient's thighs as shown in Figure 4, with each thigh resting on and supported by a respective one of the lateral portions (12). The spacer portion (14) extends upwardly between the patient's legs, and is of a shape and size sufficient to hold the patient's legs firmly apart, when the patient is in a normal sitting position.

For example, the spacer portion may have a height of about 150 - 200mm, a length between the legs of about 100 - 150mm and a depth (in the hip-to-toe direction) of about 75 - 130mm.

By sitting as shown in Figure 4 with the cushion (10) under his or her thighs, the patient's spine is stretched towards its lower end to relieve back ache. The cushion (10) is thus suitable for providing comfort for patients suffering from back ache, such, for example, as pregnant women and scoliosis patients.

Said spacer portion serves to counter-act the rotation of the patient's hips or pelvic bones inwardly as a result of the greater squashing-down of the cushion towards its centre region by the weight of the patient's on the cushion.

Alternatively, the cushion can be used with the patient lying down as shown in Figure 6.

The overall length of the cushion from the extremity of one lateral portion (12) to the extremity of the opposing lateral portion may be just sufficient to extend under the patient's legs. Alternatively, the cushion may be dimensioned to extend substantially entirely across the width of a chair or bed. Typically the length of the cushion may be about 600 - 900mm.

Optionally, the cushion may be equipped with releasable securing means for fastening the cushion to a chair or bed. In the example shown in Figure 1 the cushion (10) is equipped with a strap (20) and buckle (22) for this purpose.

As mentioned above, the cushion of the present invention may be also be suitable for making comfortable patients who have diminished control over their leg movements such, for example, as patients suffering from cerebral palsy. The cushion of the present invention may be used to prevent leg scissoring. To this end, the cushion may be placed between the patient's legs at his or her crutch as shown in Figure 4. Alternatively, the cushion may be placed under the patient's legs adjacent his or her ankles as shown in Figure 5.

Where the situation requires, more than one cushion may be used. For instance, one cushion may placed under the patient's ankles, and another may be positioned under the patient's thighs as shown in chain-dot lines in Figure 5.

It is also envisaged that in some cases, two or more cushions may be placed contiguous one another to provide additional support as shown in Figure 5. Optionally, such cushions may be provided with fastening means (24) for fastening the cushions together releasably. Although any suitable fastening means can be used for this purpose, hook-and-loop type fastening means (e.g.

velcro&commat;) is proposed here by way of example.

Whilst it is essential that the cushion of the present invention has the basic T-shape configuration as discussed above, many variations in the actual shape of the cushion are envisaged. For example, the cushion may be generally rectilinear as shown in Figure 1, or may be substantially curvilinear to provide a more ergonomic shape.

The cushion (30) as shown in Figure 2 is essentially Tshaped, but the upstanding spacer portion (14) additionally comprises two laterally extending flange portions (32) which, in use, extend over the patient's thighs (or ankles) to assist in retaining the patient's legs in the correct position.

The cushion (50) shown in Figure 3 is generally curvilinear, whilst retaining the essential Tconfiguration. In this case, it will be seen that the lateral portions (12) are provided towards their extremities with upwardly extending end portions (52), which end portions (52) are shaped to define, with the spacer portion (14), two spaced leg holes (54) in which the patient's legs can be located.

It has been found that the upstanding spacer portion (14) of the cushions according to the present invention may also be used to assist the patient in standing up from the sitting position by providing a raised surface for the patient to push-off from with his or her hands.

Of course, the cushions of the present invention can be used in the sitting position to provide relieve from back ache as shown in Figure 4, but they can be used equally well in the lying down (Figure 6) or sitting positions for preventing leg scissoring.

Claims

1. A cushion comprising two spaced lateral portions, which lateral portions can be placed under a patient's legs, and a spacer portion which is constructed and arranged to extend upwardly between the patient's legs.

2. A cushion as claimed in claim 1 having a basic, generally T-shaped configuration.

3. A cushion as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the cushion is generally rectilinear or curvilinear.

4. A cushion as claimed in claim 1, claim 2 or claim 3, which cushion comprises a cover and a filling.

5. A cushion as claimed in claim 4 wherein said filling is selected from foam or fibre, with the resilience of the filling being selected as desired.

6. A cushion as claimed in claim 4 wherein the cushion is water-filled or air-filled.

7. A cushion as claimed in any of claim 4 to 6 wherein the cover is water-proof.

8. A method of making a patient comfortable, which method comprises placing under the patient's legs a cushion in accordance with the invention, such that the spacer portion extends upwardly between the patient's legs.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8 wherein the cushion is placed under the patient's thighs or adjacent the patient's ankles.

10. A cushion as substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figure 1, Figure 2 or Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.

11. A method of making a patient comfortable substantially as hereinbefore described.