NO347808B1 - Device for muscle relaxation - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a muscle relaxing device for muscle relaxation and for treatment and prevention of tendinitis in the arm and/or a shoulder and neck region of a person, and for treatment of tendinitis in an arm and/or a shoulder and neck region of a person.

When a person gets tendinitis in an arm or a shoulder, for example in the elbow, it can be difficult to treat it, and those people who contract tendinitis often struggle for years before they completely recover. Since the arms are used constantly, it is difficult to get the necessary rest to heal and some people never get completely healed from the tendinitis once they have contracted it and the tendinitis becomes chronic.

Some common treatments for tendinitis today is taking anti-inflammatory medication such as ibuprofen, naproxen or aspirin, but medications have side effects and not everybody want to or are able to use them. Otherwise, getting physical therapy to strengthen and stretch muscles and to perform various types of motion exercises to reduce stiffness and increase flexibility is a common measure to speed up the recovery of the tendonitis.

For treatment of other types of diseases, such as nerve injuries, there are known gloves comprising a number of channels for insertion of stays of various flexibility for performance of exercises. The stays are interchangeable so that they can be adapted to any particular exercise and to the changes of the wearers control of the muscles. Examples of such gloves are found in US 2006/0276735 A1 and US 2006/0149180 A1.

There are also known similar gloves for use with fractures in the hand, typically an injury that boxers get. The gloves are provided with a plurality of channels for insertion of rigid stays for immobilizing and maintain the joints at a desired angle. Gloves for this purpose is disclosed in US 2011/0046530 A1 and US 5058576 A.

In US 2022883 A there is disclosed a device in the form of a splint that is used for treatment of various types of fractures in the wrist, lower arm and the metacarpals. The splint is made of aluminium or another material that is easily bent manually into various forms and retains their forms after they have been bent.

US4813406A discloses a splint device for the immobilization of a preselected portion of the body, such as a digital member. The splint device preferably comprises a splint means comprising a ring-like base portion adapted to fit snugly around a digit in proximity to its proximal end. Extending from the base portion there are provided a plurality of essentially rigid elongated support members which are spaced apart around the base portion so as to immobilize the contained digit, preferably on more than one of its sides, each of the support members terminating at a free end which is in the vicinity of, or beyond the distal end, of the digit. The ring-like base portion is preferably expandable. The splint device may also comprise restraining means which may be positioned around the support member for retaining the support members adjacent the digital member, and an end cap which may be positioned on the free ends of the support members.

A problem with gloves are that they tend to be warm and uncomfortable for the user. The gloves therefore tend to get moist and sweaty and after using them for a while they also start to smell badly.

An objective of the present invention has been to provide a muscle relaxing device for muscle relaxation and for treatment of tendinitis in an arm or a shoulder or neck region of a user.

A further objective of the present invention has been to provide a muscle relaxing device with a simple design that is easy and quick to produce, and which has low costs of manufacturing.

It has also been an objective of the present invention to obtain a muscle relaxing device that is comfortable to wear for a user.

These objectives are achieved with a muscle relaxing device as defined in claim 1 and a use of the muscle relaxing device as defined in claim 11.

There is provided a muscle relaxing device for muscle relaxation and for treatment of tendinitis in an arm or a shoulder, neck or back region of a user, where the muscle relaxing device comprises:

- an elongated plate element with a finger end portion and a wrist end portion, - a finger strap that is attached to the finger end portion of the plate element, the finger strap being adapted for attachment of the plate element to at least one finger of the user,

- a wrist strap attached to the wrist end portion of the plate element, the wrist strap being adapted for attachment of the plate element to the arm or the wrist of the user.

The plate element is further made of a semi-rigid, elastic and flexible material. That means that a user is capable of bending the muscle relaxing device to a certain degree. By using a plate element with a larger thickness, the stiffness of the muscle relaxing device increases, and a user will be able to bend it to a lesser extent.

Preferably, the plate element is made entirely of a semi-rigid, elastic and flexible material. For example, the plate element may be made of a plastic material, but any other elastic and flexible material that can provide some flexibility so that a user can bend the muscle relaxing device at least a little may be used in the plate element. Preferably, the plate element is made entirely of a plastic material. The plate element may, for example, be made of high-density polyethylene which is will provide the desired flexibility of the plate element while at the same time the thickness of the plate element is within a desired range which is not too large. Other plastic materials may also be used as long as they provide some flexibility within a reasonable range of thicknesses of the plate element. Preferably the plate element is made entirely of high-density polyethylene.

Preferably, the plate element has a thickness in the range 1.5mm to 5mm. If the plate element is made of high-density polyethylene, as mentioned above, this range of thickness will provide muscle relaxing devices with a good range of different flexibilities, from very flexible when the plate element has a thickness of 1.5mm to little flexibility when the thickness of the plate element is 5mm. Usually, a thickness somewhere in between, typically 2-4mm, will be chosen, providing some flexibility for the comfort of the user, but at the same time being sufficiently rigid so that the user is forced to relax the muscles most of the time.

The relaxation of the muscles caused by using the present muscle relaxing device has been found to greatly help in recovery from tendinitis in the arm and shoulder region. The present muscle relaxing device has also been found to be helpful for general muscle relaxation in the arm, should and neck region, and thereby prevention of later injury, for people who tend to find themselves in a static position over long periods of time such as truck drivers and other drivers who spend most of their days in a vehicle where they often sit in more or less the same position for extended periods of time. Other groups who may benefit from using the present muscle relaxing device, could be office workers who sit in front of their desks in static in the same position most of the day or the whole day, machine operators of different types of machines, etc.

The plate element is preferably provided with two finger end portion slits in the finger end portion through which the finger strap is passed and/or two wrist end portion slits in the wrist end portion through which the wrist strap is passed.

Preferably, the finger end portion slits have a length which is larger than the width of the finger strap. Furthermore, the wrist end portion slits may also have a length which is larger than the width of the wrist strap. When the length of the finger end portion slits and/or the wrist end portion slits are longer than the widths of the finger strap and the wrist strap respectively, the position of the plate element may be adjusted in the longitudinal direction of the arm making the muscle relaxing device adjustable and more comfortable to wear for a user.

Alternatively, the finger strap may be attached to the plate element with at least one first attachment means. The wrist strap may also be attached to the plate element with at least one second attachment means. The first attachment means may be an attachment element such as a rivet, a pop rivet, a screw etc., or the first attachment means may alternatively be an adhesive that glues the finger strap to the plate element or a sleeve element that is arranged on the plate element. Similarly, the second attachment means may be a rivet, a pop rivet, a screw etc., or the second attachment means may alternatively be an adhesive that glues the wrist strap to the plate element or a sleeve element that is arranged on the plate element.

The plate element may be provided with a cushioning element that is attached to a lower side and/or an upper side of the plate element. Preferably the cushioning element is attached only to one side of the plate element, for example the lower side of the plate element that will face the user during use of the muscle relaxing device. However, a cushioning element may be provided on both the lower and the upper side of the plate element. Thereby, two cushioning elements with different cushioning properties may attached to the upper side and the lower side of the plate element respectively, and a user may choose to arrange the plate element with the cushioning that he or she finds most comfortable facing the hand. The cushioning element is preferably fixedly attached, for example by gluing the cushioning element to the plate element. The cushioning element may be made of any material which will provide at least some degree of cushioning in use such as, for example, a closed cell material that is commonly used for making sleeping pads.

To make the muscle relaxing device more aesthetically pleasing, the finger support device may further comprise a sleeve element that covers the plate element. The sleeve element is preferably designed so that it fits the plate element tightly, for example by making the sleeve element from an elastic fabric such as any of those that are used in sportswear.

If the plate element is covered with a sleeve element, the sleeve element is preferably provided with slits that corresponds to the slits of the plate element, where the slits of the sleeve elements are arranged such that the finger strap and the wrist strap can be passed through the slits of the plate element and the sleeve element. If so, the sleeve element is preferably provided with two finger end portion slits in an finger end portion of the sleeve element through which the finger strap is passed. The sleeve element may also be provided with two wrist end portion slits in an wrist end portion of the sleeve element through which the wrist strap is passed. Preferably, the slits in the finger end portion of the plate element and the slits in the finger end portion of the plate element align so that the finger strap can easily be passed through the plate element and the sleeve element. Similarly, the slits in the wrist end portion of the plate element and the slits in the wrist end portion of the plate element align so that the wrist strap can easily be passed through the plate element and the sleeve element.

As an alternative, the finger strap may be attached to the sleeve element with at least one first attachment means. The wrist strap may also be attached to the sleeve element with at least one second attachment means. The first attachment means may be in form of a stitching whereby the finger strap is stitched to the sleeve element. The first attachment means may alternatively be in form of an adhesive whereby the wrist strap is glued to the sleeve element that is arranged on the plate element. A combination of the two methods are also possible. Similarly, the second attachment means may be in form of a stitching whereby the wrist strap is stitched to the sleeve element. The second attachment means may alternatively be in form of an adhesive whereby the wrist strap is glued to the sleeve element that is arranged on the plate element. A combination of the two methods are also possible.

The finger strap preferably comprises a finger strap element with a first end portion and a second end portion wherein the first end portion and the second end portion are provided with two corresponding fastening elements. The two corresponding fastening elements may, for example, be corresponding Velcro elements ®, corresponding snap fastener elements or any other suitable fastening elements that can be attached to the first end portion and the second end portion of the finger strap element respectively such that the first end portion of the finger strap element may be attached to the second end portion of the finger strap element.

Similarly, the wrist strap preferably comprises a wrist strap element with a first end portion and a second end portion wherein the first end portion and the second end portion are provided with two corresponding fastening elements. The two corresponding fastening elements may be, for example, corresponding Velcro elements ®, corresponding snap fastener elements or any other suitable fastening elements that can be attached to the first end portion and the second end portion of the wrist strap element respectively such that the first end portion of the wrist strap element may be attached to the second end portion of the wrist strap element.

The finger strap and the wrist strap are preferably made of a material that is rigid in the longitudinal direction of the finger/wrist strap such that the finger strap and wrist strap are not extendable to any noticeable degree. Such straps are commonly known and will not be further described here.

Alternatively, the finger strap may be made of an elastic material. If so, the finger strap may be formed as a fixed loop into which a user will stick one or more fingers or the wrist. It would also be possible to make the wrist strap of an elastic material. If so, the wrist strap may be formed as a fixed loop through which the whole hand of the user would have to be passed when the muscle relaxing device is to be used.

As already mentioned above, a typical use of a muscle relaxing device according as described above would be for muscle relaxation and/or for treatment of tendinitis in an arm and/or a shoulder and neck region of a user.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description of preferred embodiments of the invention, with reference to the figures where:

Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment of a plate element of the present muscle relaxing device.

Figure 2 illustrates a top view of the plate element in figure 1.

Figure 3 illustrates a side view of the plate element in figures 1 and 2.

Figure 4 illustrates a perspective view of a second embodiment of a plate element of the present muscle relaxing device.

Figure 5 illustrates a side view of the plate element in figure 4.

Figure 6 illustrates a side view of an embodiment of the muscle relaxing device including a plate element as shown in figures 1-3 covered with a sleeve element.

Figure 7 illustrates a side view of an embodiment of the muscle relaxing device as shown in figures 4-5 covered with a sleeve element.

Figure 8 illustrates the plate element shown in figures 1-3 including a finger strap and a wrist strap.

Figures 9-11 shows a user wearing the muscle relaxing device in figure 8 with the finger strap wrapped around the ring finger and middle finger and the wrist strap wrapped around the wrist of the user.

Figure 12 illustrates a muscle relaxing device where the finger strap and the wrist strap are fixedly attached to the plate element.

The same reference numbers have been used throughout the rest of the description for the same features in the various embodiments of the present muscle relaxing device.

A first embodiment of the muscle relaxing device 10 is shown in figures 1-3 and 8-12. The muscle relaxing device 10 has been found to be very helpful in treating tendonitis and for relaxation of muscles in the arm, should, neck and back region, particularly the muscles that are used when using the hands. By using the present muscle relaxing device 10 for habitual relaxation of muscles in these regions of the body, later problems may be prevented. Sportsmen and women and people who find themselves working in static positions, may be among people who could find it useful to implement the use of the muscle relaxing device 10 on a regular basis in order to prevent injuries later. Also in the treatment of certain psychiatric diseases, where the patient are tense and tighten muscles, the present muscle relaxing device 10 be useful to try and help the patient to relax the muscles.

The muscle relaxing device 10 comprises a plate element 12 with a finger end portion 13 that is adapted for attachment to one or more fingers of a user, and a wrist end portion 20 that is adapted for attachment to the wrist of a user. The plate element 12 has a length L, a width W and a thickness T. The length L of the plate element 12 is such that the plate element 12 will extend at least from the wrist region of a user to approximately the fingertips of the user. The width W of the plate element 12 may be chosen so that the plate element covers the width of two figures of a user as indicated in figures 9-11. Alternatively, the width of the plate element 12 may be chosen so that the width of the plate element 12 covers a different number of fingers, for example three fingers or possibly only one finger.

The plate element 12 is made of any suitable material, for example a plastic material such as high-density polyethylene, as long as it is elastic and capable of providing the muscle relaxing device 10 with at least some degree of flexibility.

Since the size of the hand and the fingers can vary considerably between men, women and children, and from one person to another within the same group, the muscle relaxing device 10 may be produced with plate elements 12 having different lengths L and widths W to accommodate varying hand and finger sizes of users. Furthermore, as mentioned above, the thickness T of the plate element may be chosen so that a desired stiffness or flexibility of the muscle relaxing device 10 is obtained. If the plate element is made of a plastic material such as high-density polyethylene, the plate element 12 may typically have a thickness in the range of 1,5 mm to 6mm, preferably in the range of 2mm to 4mm. A thicker, and therefore stiffer, plate element 12 will to a larger extent prevent movement of the fingers than thinner plates and thereby promote a higher degree of muscle relaxation and may therefore be preferable for treatment of more severe tendinitis.

The finger end portion 13 may preferably be provided with two finger end portion slits 17 and the wrist end portion 20 may preferably be provided with two wrist end portion slits 21 as indicated in figures. The finger end portions slits 17 and the wrist end portion slits 21 are through-going holes in the plate element 12.

The finger end portion slits 17 have a size that allows a finger strap 18 (not shown in figures 1-3, see figures 8-12) to be passed though the two finger end portions slits 17. The length LF of the finger end portions slits 17 are at least equal to, but preferably larger than the width WF (see figure 12) of the finger strap 17. When the length of the finger end portion slits 17 are larger than the width of the finger strap 17, the position of the finger strap can be adjusted to the most desired position by a user. It will also make it easier for a user to remove the finger strap 17 from the fingers and put the finger strap back during use of the muscle relaxing device 10 if the user wants to do something that requires the use of the hand and fingers, for example to grab and hold an object.

The wrist end portion slits 21 has a size that allows a wrist strap 22 (not shown in figures 1-3, see figures 8-12) to be passed though the two wrist end portions slits 21. The length LW of the wrist end portions slits 21 are at least equal to, but preferably larger than the width WW (see figure 12) of the wrist strap 22. When the length of the wrist end portion slits 21 are larger than the width of the wrists strap 22, the position of the wrist strap 22 can be adjusted to the most desired position by a user. It will also help to make it easier to remove the finger strap 17 from the fingers without unstrapping the finger strap 17 and put the finger strap back during use of the muscle relaxing device 10 if the user wants to do something that requires the use of the hand and fingers, for example to grab and hold an object.

An alternative to providing the plate element 12 with finger end portion slits 17 and/or wrist end portion slits 21 would be to attach the finger strap 18 and/or the wrist strap 22 fixedly to the plate element 12, preferably, but not necessarily, to an upper side 13 of the plate element 12, with attachment means 24 such as a rivet, a pop rivet, a screw etc. or an adhesive that glues the finger strap 18 and/or the wrist strap 22 to the plate element 12. These alternatives are illustrated in figure 12 where the finger strap 18 is glued to the plate element 12 and the wrist strap 22 is attached to the plate element with an attachment means 24 in form of a rivet or any other suitable, mechanical attachment means.

It would obviously also be possible to use a combination of slits (17, 21) in one end portion (16, 20) of the plate element 12 and fixed attachment with attachments means 24 such as a rivet, a pop rivet, a screw etc. as mentioned above, in the opposite end portion (16, 20) of the plate element 12. For example can the wrist strap 22 be fixedly attached to the plate element 12 with an attachment means 24 such as a rivet, a pop rivet, a screw etc. or an adhesive as mentioned above, while the plate element 12 is provided with finger end portion slits 17 for the finger strap 18. By providing at least one end portion (16, 20) of the plate element 12 with slits (17, 21) for a finger strap 18 or a wrist strap 22, at least some flexibility for adjusting the position of the muscle relaxing device 10 on the user and make it easier to quickly remove the fingers from the finger strap when a certain task that requires the use of the fingers, must be carried out. The opposite would of course also be an option, i.e. to attach the finger strap 18 fixedly to the finger end portion 16 of the plate element 12 with an attachment means 24 as mentioned above and to provide the wrist end portion 20 of the plate element 12 with wrist end portion slits 21 for a wrist strap 22.

As shown in figure 12, the finger strap 18 comprises a finger strap element 32 with a first end portion 33 and a second end portion 34 wherein the first end portion 33 and the second end portion 34 are provided with a first strap fastening element (30) and second strap fastening element (31) respectively where the first strap fastening element (30) and the second strap fastening element (31) are of a corresponding type so that they are attachable to each other. The finger strap element 32 may be made of a material that is flexible so that the finger strap 18 wraps nicely around the finger or fingers of a user but is essentially non-elastic so that the finger strap 18 will not stretch to any noticeable degree.

The two corresponding first and second strap fastening elements (30, 31) may, for example, be corresponding Velcro® elements as indicated in figures 8-12, corresponding snap fastener elements or any other suitable fastening elements that can be attached to the first end portion 33 and the second end portion 34 of the finger strap element 32 respectively such that the first end portion 33 of the finger strap element 32 may be attached to the second end portion 34 of the finger strap element 32.

Similarly, as shown in figure 12, the wrist strap 22 comprises a wrist strap element 35 with a first end portion 36 and a second end portion 37 wherein the first end portion 36 and the second end portion 37 are provided with a first strap fastening element (30) and second strap fastening element (31) respectively where the first strap fastening element (30) and the second strap fastening element (31) are of a corresponding type so that they are attachable to each other. The wrist strap element 34 may also be made of a material that is flexible so that the wrist strap 22 wraps nicely around the wrist of a user but is essentially non-elastic so that the wrist strap 22 will not stretch to any noticeable degree.

The two corresponding first and second strap fastening elements (30, 31) are preferably of the same type as the fastening elements on the finger strap 18 and may, for example, be corresponding Velcro® elements as indicated in figures 8-12, corresponding snap fastener elements or any other suitable fastening elements that can be attached to the first end portion 36 and the second end portion 37 of the wrist strap element 35 respectively such that the first end portion 36 of the wrist strap element 35 may be attached to the second end portion 37 of the wrist strap element 35.

Alternatively, the wrist strap element 35 and/or the finger strap element 32 may be made of a flexible and elastic material. In addition, the wrist strap element 35 and/or the finger strap element 32 may possibly be formed as a fixed loop (not shown in the figures), thereby avoiding the use of the corresponding first and second strap fastening elements (30, 31). Since the wrist strap 22 and/or the finger strap 18 in this case is/are elastic, a user can easily slip the wrist strap 22 over the hand to the wrist and/or the fingers into the finger strap 18.

In figures 4-5, a slightly different embodiment of the present muscle relaxing device 10 is shown. The plate element 12 has the same design as described above such as a finger end portion 16 that is provided with finger end portion slits 17 for a finger strap 18 (not shown in figures 4-5; see figure 12) and a wrist end portion 20 that is provided with wrist end portion slits 21 for a wrist strap 22 (not shown in figures 4-5; see figures 8-12).

The embodiment shown in figures 4-5 are further provided with at least one cushioning element 26 that is attached to at least one side of the plate element 12, preferably to the lower side 14 of the plate element 12 that will face and be in contact with the hand and the fingers of a user when the muscle relaxing device 10 is attached to the user. A lower side 28 of the cushioning element 26 will consequently be lying against the skin of a user when the muscle relaxing device 10 is used and thereby make the muscle relaxing device more comfortable to wear for the user.

An upper side 27 of the cushioning element 26 is preferably fixedly attached to the plate element 12, for example by gluing the cushioning element 26 to the plate element 12.

Alternatively, the cushioning element 26 may be removably attached to the plate element 12 (not shown in the figures), for example by utilizing the finger strap 18 and the wrist strap 22 to press the cushioning element 26 against the plate element 12 or by using separate straps that wrap around the plate element 12. Alternatively, corresponding Velcro® straps may be attached to the lower side 14 and/or the upper side 13 of the plate element 12 and to the cushioning element 26 respectively.

If the wrist end portion 20 of the plate element 12 is provided with wrist end portion slits 21, the cushioning element 26 is also provided with slits corresponding in size and position to the wrist end portion slits 21 so that a wrist strap 22 may be passed through the wrist end portion slits 21 of the plate element 12 and the cushioning element 26.

Similarly, if the finger end portion 16 of the plate element 12 is provided with finger end portion slits 17, the cushioning element 26 is also provided with slits corresponding in size and position to the finger end portion slits 17 so that a finger strap 18 may be passed through the finger end portion slits 17 of the plate element 12 and the cushioning element 26.

The cushioning element 26 can be made of any suitable material that will provide at least some degree of cushioning when a user is using the muscle relaxing device 10. The cushioning element 26 may, for example, be made of a closed cell foam material that is commonly used for making sleeping pads.

To improve the aesthetic appearance of the muscle relaxing device 10, the plate element 12 may be covered with a sleeve element 38 as shown in figures 6 and 7. The sleeve element 38 is preferably designed so that it fits tightly, for example by making the sleeve element 38 from an elastic fabric such as any of those that are used in sportswear.

In figure 6, the embodiment of the muscle relaxing device shown in figures 1-3 and 8-12, i.e. a plate element 12 without a cushioning element 26, is shown provided with a sleeve element 38 that fits the plate element 12 tightly. The sleeve element 38 is preferably provided with slits that corresponds to the size and position of the finger end portion slits 17 of the plate element 12 and/or the wrist end portion slits of the plate element 12 as indicated in figure 6. The finger strap 18 and/or the wrist strap 22 can thereby be passed through respective slits of the plate element 12 and the sleeve element 38.

In figure 7, the embodiment of the muscle relaxing device shown in figures 4-5, i.e. a plate element 12 with a cushioning element 26 attached to its lower side 14, is shown provided with a sleeve element 38 that fits the plate element 12 and the cushioning element tightly. The sleeve element 38 is preferably provided with slits that corresponds to the size and position of the finger end portion slits 17 of the plate element 12 and cushioning element 26 and/or the wrist end portion slits 21 of the plate element 12 and cushioning element 26 as indicated in figure 7. The finger strap 18 and/or the wrist strap 22 can thereby be passed through respective slits of the plate element 12/cushioning element 26 and the sleeve element 38.

As an alternative to passing the finger strap 18 and/or the wrist strap 22 through respective slits (17, 21), the finger strap 18 may attached to the sleeve element 38 with at least one first attachment means (not shown in the figures). The wrist strap 22 may also be attached to the sleeve element 38 with at least one second attachment means (not shown in the figures). The first attachment means may be in form of a stitching whereby the finger strap 18 is stitched to the sleeve element 38 that is arranged on the plate element 12. The first attachment means may alternatively be in form of an adhesive whereby the finger strap 18 is glued to the sleeve element 38 that is arranged on the plate element 12. Similarly, the second attachment means may be in form of a stitching whereby the wrist strap 22 is stitched to the sleeve element 38 that is arranged on the plate element 12. The second attachment means may alternatively be in form of an adhesive whereby the wrist strap 22 is glued to the sleeve element 38 that is arranged on the plate element 12. A combination of the two methods, i.e. both stitching and gluing, are also possible for the finger strap 18 and/or the wrist strap 22. Attaching the finger strap 18 and/or the wrist strap 22 to the sleeve element 38 with stiching and/or gluing can obviously be done for both the embodiment of the muscle relaxing device 10 shown in figures 6 and the embodiment of the muscle relaxing device 10 shown in figure 7.

Figures 9-11 shows a user wearing the first embodiment of the present muscle relaxing device 10 that are shown in figures 1-3 and 8. The wrist end portion 20 of the plate element 12 are provided with wrist end portion slits 21 that have a length that are larger than the width of the wrist strap 22. Also the finger end portion 16 of the plate element 12 are provided with finger end portion slits 17 that have a length that are larger than the width of the finger strap 18. As described above, making the length of the slits 17, 21 longer than the width of the straps 18, 22 provides flexibility when attaching the muscle relaxing device 10 on a user and also makes it easier for a user to remove the fingers from the finger strap 18 for a short while without first having to detach the corresponding first and second strap fastening elements 30, 31 of the finger strap 18.

The figures further illustrates that the wrist end portion 20 of the plate element 12 is attached to the lower part of the arm 40, i.e. the wrist, of the user with the wrist strap 22, and that the finger end portion 16 of the plate element 12 is attached to two fingers of the user, in this case the ring finger 46 and the middle finger 47, with the finger strap 18.

As can be seen on the figures, the finger strap 18 and the wrist strap 22 are provided with corresponding first and second strap fastening elements 30, 31 (not shown in figures 9-12) that attaches the first end portion 33 of the finger strap element 32 to the second end portion 34 of the finger strap element 32 and first end portion 36 of the wrist strap element to the second end portion 37 of the wrist strap element as described in detail above.

In figure 11 it is illustrated that the plate element 12 is made of an elastic and flexible material so that the plate element 12 can be bent to a certain degree by the user. By providing the plate element 12 with some degree of flexibility, the muscle relaxing device 10 becomes much more comfortable to wear than if the plate element 12 is rigid. Since the present muscle relaxing device is intended for treatment of tendinitis and relaxation of muscles in the arm, shoulder and neck region of a user, and not for injuries like bone fractures, there is no need for a rigid plate element and the plate element 12 can be provided with some degree of flexibility.

The invention has now been explained with reference to a non-limiting example. A person skilled in the art will, however, appreciate that modifications and changes may be made to this embodiment which will be within the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

Claims (11)

1. A muscle relaxing device (10) for muscle relaxation and for treatment of tendinitis in an arm or a shoulder, neck or back region of a user, the muscle relaxing device (10) comprising:

- an elongated plate element (12) with a finger end portion (16) and a wrist end portion (20),

- a finger strap (18) that is attached to the finger end portion (16) of the plate element (12), the finger strap (18) being adapted for attachment of the plate element (12) to at least one finger (46, 47) of the user,

- a wrist strap (22) attached to the wrist end portion (20) of the plate element (12), the wrist strap (22) being adapted for attachment of the plate element (12) to the wrist or the arm of the user,

c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the plate element (12) is made of a semi-rigid, elastic material.

2. Muscle relaxing device according to claim 1,

c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the plate element (12) is made of a plastic material.

3. Muscle relaxing device according to claim 1 or 2,

c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the plate element (12) is made of high-density polyethylene.

4. Muscle relaxing device according to one of the claims 1-3,

c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the plate element (12) is provided with two finger end portion slits (17) in the finger end portion (16) through which the finger strap (18) is passed and/or two wrist end portion slits (21) in the wrist end portion (20) through which the wrist strap (22) is passed.

5. Muscle relaxing device according to claim 4,

c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that finger end portion slits (17) have a length LF which is larger than the width WF of the finger strap (18) and/or that the wrist end portion slits (21) have a length LW which is larger than the width WW of the wrist strap (22).

6. Muscle relaxing device according to one of the claims 1-5,

c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the finger strap (18) is attached to the plate element (12) with at least one attachment means (24) and/or that the wrist strap is attached to the plate element with at least one attachment means (24).

7. Muscle relaxing device according to one of the claims 1-6,

c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the plate element (12) is provided with a cushioning element (26) that is attached to a lower side (14) and/or an upper side (13) of the plate element (12).

8. Muscle relaxing device according to one of the claims 1-7,

c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the muscle relaxing device 10 further comprises a sleeve element (38) that covers the plate element (12) or the plate element (12) and the cushioning element (26).

9. Muscle relaxing device according to claim 8,

c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the sleeve element (38) is provided with two finger end portion slits in an finger end portion of the sleeve element through which the finger strap (18) is passed and/or that the sleeve element (38) is provided with two wrist end portion slits in an wrist end portion of the sleeve element (38) through which the wrist strap (22) is passed.

10. Muscle relaxing device according to claim 8 or 9,

c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the finger strap (18) is attached to the sleeve element with at least one first attachment means and/or that the wrist strap (22) is attached to the sleeve element with at least one second attachment means.

11. Use of a muscle relaxing device (10) according to any one of claims 1-10 for muscle relaxation and/or for treatment of tendinitis in an arm and/or a shoulder and neck region of a user.