GB2329590A

GB2329590A - Medical support

Info

Publication number: GB2329590A
Application number: GB9816038A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Simon Tudor Howell
Original assignee: British Chemicals and Biologicals Ltd
Current assignee: Fisons Chemicals Ltd
Priority date: 1997-09-24
Filing date: 1998-07-23
Publication date: 1999-03-31
Also published as: GB9816038D0; GB9720292D0

Abstract

A support for medical use comprising a flexible web 2 adapted to sheath an injured body part, a pocket 10 for holding a flexible thermal transfer pack (fig. 5) between the web 2 and the body part wherein pack (fig. 5) and body part are in close proximity, an inflatable bladder (fig. 6, 15) received by the web member 2 and arranged to exert pressure on the body part whilst the thermal pack (fig. 5) is in place, a pressure release valve and/or a cut-off valve (fig. 3, 11) with corresponding pressure gauge 7 to monitor for and prevent over inflation and a fastening means 9 for fastening said support in position on said body part.

Description

Medical Support The present invention relates to a support for medical use and more specifically to a support for use following injury, such as a sporting injury.

Injuries to arms and legs are very common, especially during sporting activities. The most common sporting injuries include the over straining of muscles, tearing or pulling of ligaments and in serious cases, bone fractures.

Most sporting injuries will, at some stage, include, to varying degrees, some swelling or inflammation. This may be treated with anti-inflammatory drugs and/or by the application of ice or the like. It is quite common for currently available ice packs or cooling packs to contain a gel-like substance in a sealed pack. This pack may be cooled prior to application.

Furthermore, the same aforementioned gel pack may alternatively, if required, be heated prior to use in some cases of muscle pain.

In addition to cooling or heating, the injured area should be compressed with a bandage or a support or the like.

It is the aim of the present invention to provide an all-in-one means for compressing and providing either a heat source or a cooling source to an injury, such as a sports injury.

According to the present invention, there is provided a support for medical use, which comprises a flexible web adapted to sheath an injured body part; means for holding a flexible thermal transfer pack between said flexible web and said body part, and in close proximity to said body part; an inflatable bladder received by said web member and arranged to exert pressure on said body part; and means for inflating said bladder such that the resulting inflated bladder can exert said pressure on said body part whilst said thermal transfer pack is in said close proximity.

The support according to the present invention may be used in the treatment of injuries, such as sporting injuries, including muscle strain, sprains and swelling or pulled, torn or stretched ligaments etc. The support according to the present invention is generally for use on an arm or leg.

According to a preferred feature of the present invention the flexible web may comprise a substantially nonexpandable material, such as nylon or another suitable durable material.

According to the present invention the inflatable bladder may comprise rubber or the like.

It is a preferred feature of the present invention that the support comprises a pocket for holding the thermal transfer pack in place (in close proximity to the body part).

The support according to the present invention may, if required, be secured into position by means of a buckle or the like, a hook and loop type fastening or simply by wrapping the support around the injured body part and tucking a free end of the support into a part of the support wrapped around the injured body part.

It is important to control the levels of compression and therefore the amount of pressure exerted on the injured area.

Compression should be carefully monitored, as excess compression may give rise to significant medical problems. Therefore, as an added safety measure, the support according to the present invention may additionally be provided with a pressure gauge with indicator. Such an indicator may serve to warn the user visually and/or aurally when the amount of compression may rise to unsafe levels.

The support may (additionally or alternatively) comprise a cut off valve or the like which comes into operation when the pressure exerted exceeds safe levels. Such a cut off valve may automatically deflate the support and remove compression to the injured area and therefore avoid the likelihood of serious problems arising.

Alternatively, the support may comprise a pressurerelief valve which prevents over-inflation of the bladder.

According to the present invention the inflation means may comprise a pump, which may be automatic or (more preferably) manual.

The support according to the invention may be used during the treatment of various sporting injuries as follows.

The support may be taken in its deflated state and a previously cooled or heated thermal transfer pack (according to requirements) is inserted into a pocket located on the support.

The support, with inserted thermal transfer pack, is then wrapped around the injured area with the thermal transfer pack substantially adjacent the user's skin. The support may then be secured in place with fastening means and then inflated by depressing and releasing an inflation bulb several times. Overinflation of the bladder of the support is restricted by the substantially non-expandable material of the support. The pressure gauge (if incorporated into the support) may then be monitored at regular intervals to check safety levels. The support is typically used for approximately ten minutes or at the discretion of a physiotherapist or similar professional. The support is then removed following deflation and removal of the fastening.

The present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic representation of the upper surface of a support according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a diagrammatic representation of the undersurface of a support according to the present invention; Figure 3 is a diagrammatic representation of an alternative embodiment of the support shown in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic representation of an alternative embodiment of the support shown in Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic representation of a thermal transfer pack according to the present invention; and Figure 6 is a cross section along line A,A of a support according to Figures 1,2,3 and 4.

Referring to Figure 1, there is illustrated an upper surface 1 of a support comprising a flexible web of durable, substantially waterproof and substantially non-expandable material 2. At one end of the support is one part of a fastener 3 in the form of a multiplicity of hooks 4. The support also includes an inflation bulb 5 and a pressure sensor 6 with indicator 7.

Referring now to Figure 2, this illustrates the undersurface 8 of the support of Figure 1 and comprises, at the opposite end to where the multiplicity of hooks 4 are located, the corresponding fastener element 3 in the form of a multiplicity of loops 9, the support further includes an inflation bulb 5 and a pressure sensor 6 with indicator 7, and a pocket for receiving a thermal transfer pack 10.

Referring to Figure 3, there is illustrated an upper surface of a support as shown in Figure 1, except comprising a relief valve 11 in place of pressure sensor 6.

Referring to Figure 4, there is illustrated an undersurface of a support as shown in Figure 2, except comprising a relief valve 11 in place of pressure sensor 6.

The pressure sensor 6 or pressure relief valve 11 may be provided along a same (or different) edge of the support as the inflation bulb.

Referring to Figure 5, there is illustrated a flexible thermal transfer pack 11 for use in a support according to the present invention, comprising a gel-like material 12 contained within a sealed plastics envelope 13.

Referring to Figure 6, there is represented a crosssection along line A,A of the support as shown in Figures 1,2,3 and 4, illustrating the upper surface 1 and the undersurface 8, an inflation bladder 14, and a pocket for a gel pack 10.

Typically, the pocket is of the same or similar material as material 2.

Claims

Claims:

1. A support comprising: (a) a flexible web adapted to sheath a body part; (b) means for holding a flexible thermal transfer pack between said flexible web and said body part, and in close proximity to said body part; (c) an inflatable bladder received by said web member and arranged to exert pressure on said body part; and (d) means for inflating said bladder such that the resulting inflated bladder can exert said pressure on said body part whilst said thermal transfer pack is in said close proximity.

2. A support according to claim 1, wherein said flexible web comprises a substantially non-expandable material.

3. A support according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said bladder comprises rubber or the like.

4. A support according to any preceding claim, wherein said support comprises a pocket for holding said thermal transfer pack in place in said close proximity to said body part.

5. A support according to any preceding claims, which includes fastening means for fastening said support in position on said body part.

6. A support according to any preceding claim, which includes a pressure-relief valve arranged to inhibit over-inflation of said bladder.

7. A support according to any preceding claim, which includes a pressure gauge to monitor pressure exerted on said body part.

8. A support according to claim 7, wherein said pressure gauge comprises an indicator to warn a user visually and/or aurally when the pressure rises beyond a predetermined level.

9. A support according to any preceding claim, which includes a cut-off valve for said inflating means.

10. A support according to claim 9, wherein said cut-off valve is arranged to deflate said support so as to remove compression.

11. A method for using a support according to any of claims 1 to 10, comprising the steps of: (a) sheathing said body part with said web, with said thermal transfer pack and said bladder between said web and said body part; (b) securing said support into position on said body part; (c) inflating said bladder using said inflation means; and (d) monitoring the pressure exerted by the resulting inflated bladder.