GB2404589A

GB2404589A - One-piece adhesive ankle support

Info

Publication number: GB2404589A
Application number: GB0230239A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jonathan Elabor
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-12-28
Filing date: 2002-12-28
Publication date: 2005-02-09
Also published as: GB0230239D0

Abstract

The ankle-joint support comprises a one-piece device which adheres to the skin, made from pliant, mouldable, non-stretch material. Preferably the support prevents inversion of the ankle joint and increases proprioceptive stimuli. The support may allow planar flexion and dorsiflexion with minimal impedance, and provide the same supporting function as a taped ankle support. The support may be self-applied without prior knowledge or skills. The ankle-joint support has a marker a which is aligned with the lateral malleolus, and sections c, d, e, g and h which are wrapped around the ankle and foot to secure the support in place.

Description

ADHERENT ANKLE JOINT SUPPORT The invention relates to an ankle joint support of the type which help brace and stabilize an ankle-joint at rest or in motion. Such ankle joint braces are common and widely used but many are problematic for the user in that they are often bulky, provide little or no proprioceptive feedback to the wearer and if effective in reducing the undesired movements of the ankle-joint often also restrict desired movements as well such as plantarflexion and dorsiflexion. Supportive strapping of an ankle-joint with adhesive tape is widely regarded as the most effective way of stabilizing it whilst retaining the maximum possible functional movement, but requires a high level of knowledge and skill to apply. Even with such knowledge and skill it is extremely difficult for an individual to successfully apply the tape to their own ankle-joint. Objectives of this invention are to help prevent biomechanical damage to the wearers ankle-joint by providing substantial physical support to the joint preferably to the same level that an expertly taped anklejoint would enjoy, whilst also providing proprioceptive feedback to the wearer of any impending potentially joint-damaging movements as well as allowing the maximum amount of desired non-injurous functional movement of the ankle joint, and enabling the wearer to selfapply the brace simply and effectively without outside assistance. According this invention provides a specifically but possibly variably shaped piece of strong inextensible pliable and mouldable material with a strong skin adhesive covering one of its surfaces which is in turn covered and protected by a layer of non-adherent material. The nonadherent layer is scored and formed so as to enable sequential removal of parts from the adhesive layer and subsequent accurate and effective application of the brace to the wearers ankle joint. A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a superior view of the adherent ankle-joint support unit Figure 2 shows a superior view of the ankle-joint support unit with the wearers foot in the preferred position for commencement of attachment of the brace. Figure 3 shows a medial view of a foot, ankle and lower leg with the anklejoint adherent brace unit attached to it. Figure 4 shows a lateral view of a foot, ankle and lower leg with the ankle-joint adherent brace unit attached to it. Figure 5 shows the preferred position for an intended user of the ankle-joint adherent brace unit to be in during application of the brace. As shown in Figure 2 the wearers foot is positioned preferably with the foots lateral border along the marked line b on the brace and lateral malleolus in line with the marking a on the brace whilst the ankle and foot are preferably positioned in the anatomical neutral position. The non-adhesive protective layer of the brace is pre-scored to allow segmental and sequential removal from the brace unit. The segmented sections of the non-adherent protective layer are then individually and sequentially removed from the brace and the corresponding and now exposed adhesive segment of the brace is applied to the wearers skin, whilst ensuring smooth even placement of the brace material. The prefered order of protective non-adhesive segment removal and brace material application would be c, d, e, f, g, and h. Each segment would have raised and extended piece of non-adherent protective material to enable ease of gripping and removing of said segment. The adherent ankle-joint support brace i, would then be in position and ready to provide a non-slip and non-stretch supportive and bracing structure to the ankle-joint which would prevent potential injury-causing inversion movement as well as giving proprioceptive information and feedback to the wearer of the imminent onset of this movement, whilst allowing the movement of the ankle into plantarflexion and dorsiflexion. This would complete application of the adhesive ankle-joint support unit i.

Claims

1. An adherent ankle-joint support comprising of a one-piece non-stretch pliable and mouldable material which is adherent to the skin.

2. An ankle-joint support as claimed in Claim 1, where the support helps to prevent the movement of the ankle joint into inversion.

3. An ankle-joint support as claimed in Claim 1, and Claim 2. where the skin adherence of the support enables the wearer to receive increased proprioceptive stimuli as to the functional position of their ankle joint at any given moment in time.

4. An ankle joint support as claimed in Claim 1. or Claim 2. which give minimal impedence to the wearers ankle to the movements of plantarflexion and dorsiflexion.

5. An ankle-joint support as claimed in any preceding claims which has a supportive efficacy on a par with a taped ankle joint but allows the wearer to self apply without prior ankle-joint taping knowledge or skills.