JP2003286606A - Elbow supporter - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an elbow supporter activating muscles of the wearer's arm or wrist so that the wearer can enjoy nice climbing or hiking. <P>SOLUTION: This elbow supporter has a cylindrical supporter body 11 covering at least upper and lower joints of the wearer's elbow, first and second anti-stretch parts 21, 22 provided each at the approximately half periphery of the one end of the supporter body 11, third and fourth anti-stretch parts 31, 32 provided each at the approximately half peripheral surface of another end of the supporter body 11. The first and second anti-stretch parts 21, 22, are arranged respectively at about 90° torsional positions based on the third and fourth anti-stretch parts 31, 32 so that the first anti-stretch part 21 puts pressure on the biceps brachii muscle 51, and the second anti-stretch part 22 puts pressure on the triceps brachii muscle 52, the third anti-stretch part 31 puts pressure on the brachioradial muscle 53, the extensor carpi radialis longus muscle 54, the extensor carpi radialis brevis muscle 55 and the extensor carpi ulnaris muscle 56, and the fourth anti-stretch part 32 puts pressure on the flexor carpi radialis muscle 57 and the extensor carpi ulnaris muscle 58. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an elbow supporter, and more particularly to an elbow that can be bent, maintained in a bent state, and easily gripped when climbing, hiking or trekking. It tries to activate the arm and wrist muscles.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally known elbow supporters have a shape as shown in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-285587, and are knitted or neoprene products for the purpose of heat retention or expansion / contraction for preventing elbow pain. Products using sex belts are on sale. However, these supporters keep warm
It is intended for fixation, prevention of disability, and care, and no consideration is given to enhancing the mobility of the arms and wrists.

Further, as a supporter aiming at a taping effect by using a belt, there is JP-A-2001-25522. Although this invention is a well-conceived invention, when worn on the elbow, it must be done with only one arm or with the help of another person, and the wearing is troublesome and the auxiliary band is worn. Then, there was a problem that an uncomfortable feeling occurred.

[0004]

Therefore, according to the present invention, not only the heat retention / fixation / disability prevention / care, but also the movability of the arm / wrist etc. can be achieved only by attaching it to the elbow without using a belt or the like. It aims to provide supporters that can be raised.

[0005]

[Means for Solving the Problems] By the way, a receptor involved in muscle tone is called a muscle spindle, and the muscle spindle exists inside a muscle. It has been found that afferent fibers from the muscle spindle enhance motor neuron excitation through spinal interneurons, thereby promoting muscle tone of interest. Therefore, it has been clarified by the study of the inventor of the present application that direct compression stimulation of muscle tissue including a muscle spindle excites motor neurons and enhances motor performance.

The invention of claim 1 is made from such research results, and the elbow supporter according to the invention of claim 1 is a tubular shape that covers at least the upper and lower elbow joints of a wearer's arm. The supporter main body, the first and second expansion and contraction preventing portions provided on the periphery of one end of the supporter main body by approximately half a circumference, and the third and the third extension provided on the peripheral surface of the other end by approximately half a circumference.
And a fourth stretch inhibiting portion, wherein the first stretch inhibiting portion compresses the biceps muscle, the second stretch inhibiting portion compresses the triceps muscle, and the third stretch inhibiting portion is the radial muscle of the arm.・ Long radial extensor carpi radialis, short radial extensor carpi radialis, extensor carpi radialis extensor, and the fourth stretch inhibiting part can compress flexor carpi radialis / ulnar carpi flexor,
The first and second expansion-and-contraction parts and the third and fourth expansion-and-contraction parts are arranged at positions twisted by about 90 °.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the elbow supporter of the present invention is attached, the first expansion / contraction inhibiting portion of the supporter main body is the biceps of the wearer's upper arm (upper elbow) and the second expansion / contraction. The inhibition portion presses the triceps brachii muscle, which is an antagonistic muscle of the biceps brachii. Then, the muscle spindles inside the biceps brachii and the triceps brachii are excited to increase the tension of the biceps brachii and the triceps brachii. This increases the motility of the muscles and makes it easier to bend the elbow joint or maintain the bent state.

The third and fourth expansion-and-contraction parts are the radial muscles of the lower arm (lower part of the elbow), the ulnar carpal flexor muscles and the antagonist muscles, the extensor carpi radialis muscle, the flexor carpi radialis muscles and the antagonist muscles. The long (short) radial extensor carpi radialis is compressed. Then, the radial muscles of the arm, flexor carpi ulnaris and antagonist muscles, extensor carpi radialis, flexor carpi radialis and antagonist muscles are excited and the muscle spindles of the extensor carpi radialis are excited, and the radial muscles of the arm , Extensor carpi ulnaris extensor of flexor carpi ulnaris and antagonistic muscles, and flexor carpi ulnaris longus and antagonistic muscles long (short) Extensor carpi radialis increases tension. This increases muscle motility and stabilizes wrist movements, making it easier to apply force and gripping objects. As a result, when the elbow supporter of the present invention is used, the muscles of the arm and wrist of the wearer can be activated, so that it can be expected that mountaineering, hiking, and trekking can be performed comfortably.

The first to fourth expansion / contraction inhibiting portions are preferably made of resin or rubber. By using resin or rubber, the shape of the wearer's arm can be flexibly followed. Further, if the first to fourth expansion-and-contraction inhibiting portions are formed by printing resin or rubber, it is easy to form the expansion-and-contraction inhibiting portion itself.

In the elbow supporter of the present invention, the end portion having the first and second expansion and contraction preventing portions has a larger diameter than the end portions having the third and fourth expansion and contraction inhibiting portions. The 1st and 2nd expansion-and-contraction part aims at pressing the upper arm part above an elbow (body side), and the 3rd and 4th expansion-and-inhibition parts are below an elbow (hand side). The purpose is to compress the lower arm.

Usually, since the upper arm portion has a larger diameter than the lower arm portion, the end portion having the first and second expansion / contraction inhibiting portions to be worn on the upper arm portion is worn on the lower arm portion. If the diameter is made larger than the end portion having the third and fourth expansion / contraction inhibiting portions,
It is easier to follow the shape of the wearer's arm.

In the elbow supporter of the present invention, it is preferable that the elbow supporter is bent toward the first expansion-inhibition portion side when folded in a plane so that the third expansion-inhibition portion appears in the entire range. The upper arm part and the lower arm part are the triceps muscle side (first part) in the elbow part.
It is in a natural state that it is slightly bent toward the expansion and contraction inhibiting part of. Therefore, by bending the elbow supporter of the present invention from the beginning toward the first expansion and contraction inhibiting portion, the wearer is less likely to feel uncomfortable.

[0013]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. 1 is a front view of an elbow supporter according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 (a) is a bottom view of the elbow supporter of FIG. 1 (a view seen from the outside of the elbow), and FIG. 2 (b).
1 is a plan view of the elbow supporter of FIG. 1 (viewed from the inside of the elbow), FIG. 3 is a front view of an elbow supporter according to another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4A is an elbow supporter of FIG. Bottom view (viewed from the outside of the elbow), FIG. 4 (b) is a plan view of the elbow supporter of FIG. 3 (viewed from the inside of the elbow), FIG. 5 (a)
5 is an explanatory diagram showing muscle positions on the right front side (inner side of elbow),
(B) is an explanatory view showing a muscle position on the rear side of the right arm (outside of the elbow).

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the elbow supporter 1 includes a tubular supporter body 11 for covering at least the upper and lower elbow joints of the wearer's arm, and a tubular supporter body 11.
A first expansion-and-contraction part 21 and a second expansion-and-contraction part 22 are provided on the peripheral surface at one end of each of the first expansion-contraction part 21 and the expansion-contraction part 22. In addition, a third expansion-and-contraction part 31 and a fourth expansion-and-contraction part 32 are also provided on the peripheral surface of the other end by approximately half a circumference. And
The 1st and 2nd expansion-and-contraction part 21 and 22 and the 3rd and 4th expansion-and-contraction part 31 and 32 are arranged at the position of about 90 ° twist. In addition, the first to fourth expansion / contraction inhibiting portions 21,
22, 31, 32 may be provided on the back surface of the tubular supporter body 11 instead of the end surface.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing the muscle position of the arm (right arm). 5A shows the front side of the right arm (inside of the elbow), and FIG. 5B shows the rear side of the right arm (outside of the elbow), 51 is the biceps brachii, 52 is the triceps brachii, 53 Is the radial muscle of the arm, 54
Is the extensor carpi radialis longus, 55 is the extensor carpi radialis longus, 56 is the extensor carpi radialis, 57 is the flexor carpi radialis, and 58 is the flexor carpi radialis.

The first stretch inhibiting portion 21 is a biceps 51.
The second stretch inhibiting portion 22 presses the triceps muscle 52,
The third expansion-and-contraction part 31 presses the brachial radial muscle 53, the long radial extensor carpi radialis 54, the short radial carpus extensor 55, and the extensor carpi extensor 56, and the fourth expansion and contraction part 32 is the radial hand. The root flexor muscle 57 and the ulnar carpal flexor muscle 58 are pressed. The first and second expansion / contraction inhibiting parts 21 and 22 and the third and fourth expansion / inhibition inhibiting parts 3
The reason why 1 and 32 are arranged in a position where they are twisted by approximately 90 ° is that each expansion-and-contraction inhibiting part can press the target muscle most efficiently as described above.

As described above, the first stretch inhibiting portion 21 of the tubular supporter body 11 is the biceps 51 of the wearer's upper arm (upper elbow), and the second stretch inhibiting portion 22 is the upper arm. Muscle 5
Since the triceps brachii muscle 52, which is the antagonistic muscle of No. 1, is pressed, the muscle spindles inside the biceps brachii muscle 51 and the triceps brachii muscle 52 are excited, and the tension of the biceps brachii muscle 51 and the triceps muscle 52 is increased. Thus, it is easy to bend the elbow joint and maintain the bent state.

The third and fourth expansion / contraction inhibiting portions 31 and 32 of the tubular supporter body 11 are the radial muscles 53 of the lower arm (lower elbow), the ulnar carpal flexor muscle 58, and the ulnar side of the antagonist muscle. Carpal extensor 5
6, flexor carpi radialis 57 and antagonistic muscle length (short) extensor carpi radialis 5
4, 55 are pressed, so that the radial muscles 53 of the arm, the flexor carpi radialis muscle 58 and the extensor carpi radialis muscle 56 of the antagonistic muscle, the flexor carpi radialis muscle 57 and the long (short) radial extensor carpi radialis muscle 54 of the antagonistic muscle , 55 muscle spindles are excited and the tension of these muscles increases. As a result, the movement of the wrist can be stabilized, force can be easily applied, and an object can be easily gripped.

As a result of the above, when the elbow supporter 1 of the present invention is used, the elbow joint can be easily bent and the bent state can be maintained, and the wrist movement can be stabilized and the force can be increased. Since it is easier to enter and it is easier to grasp objects, the wearer can be expected to be more comfortable for mountaineering, hiking and trekking.

The first to fourth expansion / contraction inhibiting portions 21, 22, 3
Reference numerals 1 and 32 are made of resin or rubber. Since it is resin or rubber, it can flexibly follow the shape of the wearer's arm. Further, if the expansion-and-contraction part is formed by printing resin or rubber, the formation itself becomes easy.

The first to fourth expansion / contraction inhibiting portions 21, 22, 3
The ends of 1, 32 may be L-shaped as shown in FIGS. Taking the third expansion and contraction inhibiting portion 31 of FIG. 1 as an example, the end portions 311 and 312 are L-shaped. According to this structure, each muscle is clamped so as to be pinched from both ends of the third expansion-contraction inhibiting portion, so that the muscle can be effectively stimulated.

The end portions having the first and second expansion / contraction inhibiting portions 21 and 22 are directed toward the third and fourth expansion / contraction inhibiting portions 31 and 32, respectively.
It has a larger diameter than the end portion having. Since the upper arm portion of the human body has a larger diameter than the lower arm portion, the above-described configuration makes it easier to conform to the shape of the wearer's arm.

Although not shown, in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the first and second expansion / contraction inhibiting portions 2 to be worn on the upper arm portion.
It is also possible to make the ends having 1, 22 and the ends having the third and fourth expansion / contraction inhibiting parts 31, 32 worn on the lower arm part have substantially the same diameter. In this case, if a mark indicating which is the upper arm side (that is, the first and second expansion / contraction inhibiting portions 21 and 22 side) is provided, the wearing direction is correct.

As shown in FIG. 1, a tubular supporter body 1
When 1 is folded in a plane so that the third expansion / contraction inhibiting portion 31 appears in the entire range, the shape of the arm 1 is bent toward the first expansion / inhibition inhibiting portion 21 side so that the natural shape of the arm is obtained. The wearer will feel less discomfort along the line. In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, the inner side elbow 41 and the back side of the elbow 42 of the tubular supporter body 11 are woven differently from the tubular supporter body 11, so that the tubular supporter body 1
1 has a shape bent toward the first expansion and contraction inhibiting portion 21 side.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show an elbow supporter according to another embodiment of the present invention, and parts having the same functions as those of the embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 2 are designated by the same reference numerals. . The difference between the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is that the former first to fourth expansion / contraction inhibiting portions 2 are different.
The ends of 1, 22, 31, 32 are cylindrical supporter main body 1
1 has a space 12 cut in the longitudinal direction of the cylinder. As described above, this is because the end of the expansion and contraction inhibiting portion is L-shaped (for example, 311 and 312) and each muscle is pinched from both ends, so if the space 12 is provided, This is because the above function can be exhibited more effectively.

On the other hand, in the embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4, the first
The ends of the short sides of the fourth expansion / contraction inhibiting portions 21, 22, 31, 32 are arranged to overlap each other. This is because the part near the center that directly compresses the muscle is a wide stretch inhibition part so that the target muscle group can be effectively compressed, and the end that does not directly compress the muscle has moderate elasticity. This is to hold it and not to overtighten the arm.

Further, in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the first and second expansion / contraction inhibiting portions 21 and 22 are arranged in the same manner as in the third embodiment.
Also, the way of disposing the fourth expansion and contraction inhibiting portions 31 and 32 is changed. This is because the muscle groups to be compressed are located at substantially the same position in the lower arm, so
1 and 32 are symmetrical. On the other hand, in the upper arm, when the elbow joint is bent, the upper arm biceps 51
Since the raised portion of the tubular supporter body 11 can be located slightly upward (on the body side), the first expansion-and-contraction inhibiting portion 21 is located closer to the end of the tubular end portion of the tubular supporter main body 11 so that the upper biceps 51 can be easily pressed. The second expansion and contraction inhibiting portion 22 is disposed inside the tubular end portion. Others are the same as the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2.
There is no difference from the embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4.

[0028]

As described above, according to the elbow supporter 1 of the present invention, the first expansion / contraction inhibiting portion 21 of the tubular supporter body 11 is the biceps brachii of the wearer's upper arm (upper elbow). 5
1, the second stretch inhibiting part 22 presses the triceps brachius muscle 52, which is an antagonistic muscle of the biceps brachii muscle 51, so that the muscle spindle of the muscle is excited and the tension increases, so that the elbow joint bends. Or
It becomes easier to maintain the bent state.

Further, the third and fourth expansion / contraction inhibiting portions 31, 32 of the tubular supporter main body 11 are the radial muscles 53 of the lower arm (lower elbow), the ulnar carpal flexor muscles 58 and the ulnar side of the antagonist muscles. Carpal extensor 5
6, flexor carpi radialis 57 and antagonistic muscle length (short) extensor carpi radialis 5
Since the muscles 4 and 55 are pressed, the muscle spindles of the muscles are excited and the tension of these muscles is increased. As a result, the movement of the wrist can be stabilized, the force can be easily applied, and the object can be easily grasped. Become. As a result, it is possible to activate the arm and wrist muscles of the wearer during mountain climbing, hiking or trekking, and it is expected that the user can comfortably climb, hike or trek.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of an elbow supporter according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2A is a bottom view of the elbow supporter of FIG. 1 (viewed from the outside of the elbow), and FIG. 2B is a plan view of the elbow supporter of FIG. 1 (viewed from the inside of the elbow). is there.

FIG. 3 is a front view of an elbow supporter according to another embodiment of the present invention.

4A is a bottom view of the elbow supporter of FIG. 3 (view from the outside of the elbow), and FIG. 4B is a plan view of the elbow supporter of FIG. 3 (view from the inside of the elbow). is there.

FIG. 5A is an explanatory diagram showing muscle positions on the front side of the right arm (inside the elbow), and FIG. 5B is an explanatory diagram showing muscle positions on the rear side of the right arm (outside the elbow).

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Elbow supporter 11 Cylindrical supporter body 12 spaces 21 First expansion-and-contraction part 22 Second expansion-and-contraction part 31 Third expansion-and-contraction part 32 Fourth expansion-and-contraction part 311 Edge 312 Edge 41 Inside elbow 42 Back side of the elbow 51 Biceps 52 Triceps 53 Arm radius 54 Extensor carpi radialis longus 55 Extensor carpi radialis brevis 56 Extensor carpi ulnaris 57 Radius carpal flexor 58 Flexor carpi ulnaris

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An elbow supporter comprising: a tubular supporter main body that covers at least the upper and lower elbow joints of a wearer's arm; and a first and a first semicircle provided around one end of the supporter main body. 2 expansion-and-contraction part, and the 3rd and 4th expansion-and-contraction part provided in the peripheral surface of the other end about half a circumference, and the 1st expansion-and-contraction part is the biceps brachii muscle, and the 2nd expansion and contraction. The inhibition part compresses the triceps brachii muscle, and the third expansion and contraction part compresses the radial muscles of the arm, extensor carpi radialis, extensor carpi radialis, and extensor carpi radialis, and the fourth expansion and contraction. The blocking portion includes the first and second stretch blocking portions and the third stretching blocking portion so that the flexor carpi radialis muscle / ulnar flexor flexor muscle can be pressed.
The elbow supporter is characterized in that the fourth expansion-and-contraction inhibiting portion is arranged at a position where it is twisted by approximately 90 °. 2. The elbow supporter according to claim 1, wherein the first to fourth expansion / contraction inhibiting portions are made of resin or rubber. 3. The elbow supporter according to claim 2, wherein the first to fourth expansion / contraction inhibiting portions are printed with resin or rubber. 4. The supporter body according to claim 1, wherein the end portion having the first and second expansion and contraction preventing portions has the third and fourth expansion and contraction inhibiting portions. Elbow supporter characterized by having a larger diameter than. 5. The supporter body according to claim 1, wherein the supporter body is bent toward the first expansion-inhibition part when folded in a plane so that the third expansion-inhibition part appears in the entire range. An elbow supporter that is characterized by