WO2008114050A1

WO2008114050A1 - Support device

Info

Publication number: WO2008114050A1
Application number: PCT/GB2008/050185
Authority: WO
Inventors: Kim Ball; John Pilmer
Original assignee: Guy's & St Thomas' Nhs Foundation Trust
Priority date: 2007-03-16
Filing date: 2008-03-17
Publication date: 2008-09-25
Also published as: GB2451055A; GB0705136D0

Abstract

The invention provides a device for supporting a supine user s foot. The device comprises: a base (7); a foot support (4, 5) joined to the base suitable for supporting the sole ofthe foot; and a side support (15, 16) rotatably joined to the foot support. The side support (5 )can be positioned in relation to the foot support so as to support the outer side of the foot.

Description

Support Device

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a device for supporting a user's foot, in particular, a supine user's foot.

Background to the Invention

There are many forms of medicine that rely upon non-invasive methods. These include scanning technology such as MRI or CT scans as well as treatment methods such as radiotherapy. When a doctor uses non-invasive methods to examine or treat a patient, it is important that the patient can keep still for the duration of the scan. If the patient moves during a scan this can cause inaccuracies and make diagnosis more difficult. Worse, if radiotherapy is being administered in order to treat a tumour then unpredictable movement by the patient may result in the wrong area being irradiated. This can damage healthy tissue and allow the tumour to continue its growth unchecked.

When lying on a flat surface a patient can find it difficult to remain still and comfortable for an extended period of time. When a procedure is to be carried out on the abdomen or pelvis of a patient this can be especially difficult as when lying flat out the lumbar spine arches, raising the abdomen away from the surface that the patient is resting on. This can be especially difficult for patients with limited mobility of the hips, perhaps due to a hip replacement. The patient may also find it difficult to resume the same position on a later occasion, making it harder to reproduce therapies such as radiotherapy exactly from one session to the next, and reducing their efficacy.

Therefore it is very helpful if, in these circumstances, the patient can be in a position that is comfortable and easy to maintain without too much movement, and which can be easily reproduced at a later date.

Summary of the Invention

The invention provides a device for supporting a user's foot, in particular the foot of a supine user. The device comprises: a base; a foot support joined to the base suitable for supporting the sole of the foot; and a side support rotatab Iy joined to the foot support and arranged to support the outer side of the foot. The side support can be rotated into a plurality of angular positions relative to the foot support.

In this way the invention is able to provide a device that supports the user's foot, particularly while they are lying down. The foot support and side support can also help to determine the position of the user's foot. An embodiment according to the invention can be capable of supporting a wide range of different sized feet. The side support would preferably be permanently rotatably joined to the foot support at a point near to the base, and then releasably joined to one of a number of available points to prevent it rotating during use. However, it may be that the side support would be releasably joined at both ends.

It may be that the foot support is rotatably joined to the base. In a preferred embodiment, the foot support can be rotated about an axis substantially parallel to the bed and substantially perpendicular to the leg of the foot that is being supported. This would allow the device to be adjusted to support the foot in a range of positions in relation to the leg about the axis in which the foot has greatest movement. This axis of rotation is the preferred embodiment of the invention, but it may be that adjustment about other axes is desired. It may be that the foot support is slidably joined to the base. The foot support may have movement in all three axes. However, it is normally preferred to have movement towards and away from the patient, in order that it can be adjusted to suit the height of the patient and the length of their legs.

It may be that the foot support can be fixed in a plurality of discrete positions with respect to the base. It may be that the side support can be fixed in a plurality of discrete positions with respect to the foot support. Discrete fixings for the foot support and the side support can be achieved by providing a number of discrete holes for fixing screws to fasten to, or using a rack and pawl, or by any other suitable method.

It is preferred that the device is provided with index markings that indicate the position of the foot support with respect to the base. It is preferred that the device is provided with index markings that indicate the position of the side support with respect to the foot support. These index markings can be provided on the screw holes, racks or similar if such devices have been used. Alternatively, the index markings can be provided on any suitable surface; preferably an abutting surface between the base and the foot rest to show the position of the foot support, and an abutting surface between the foot rest and the side rest to show the position of the side support. It may sometimes also be more suitable that the index markings be provided on other surfaces close to the device if the position of the base with respect to them is fixed.

It is preferred that the supporting surface of the foot support is substantially planar. It is preferred that the supporting surface of the side support is substantially planar. The use of planar surfaces allows the device to work with many different sizes and shapes of foot. Although it is not preferred, the device may be provided with mouldings in the support surfaces of the foot support and the side support so that they can fit the user's foot more precisely or selectively.

It may be that the side support rotates about an axis substantially normal to the supporting surface of the foot support. It is preferred that the axis of rotation of the side support strikes the supporting surface of the foot support close to where the heel of the user rests during use. This arrangement suits the natural movement of the human foot.

It may be that the base is joined to a bed suitable for the user to lie on. The bed would normally be a planar surface laid horizontally to support the patient. However, the bed might also be tilted away from the horizontal plane. Any tilt in the bed may be adjustable. The bed could also provide a soft surface, in order that the user can lie upon it with greater comfort. It may be desirable that the bed is provided with a number of hinged sections so that it can have its shape adjusted to raise the patient's torso or similar. As used herein, the term "bed" is intended to cover any suitable support surface, such as a couch or table.

It may be that the device comprises a knee support that is suitable for supporting the underside of the user's knee. In a preferred embodiment, the knee support comprises: a seating piece; and a support piece which comprises the supporting surface of the knee support. The position of the support piece with respect to the seating piece is determined by a number of removable separator pieces. By adding and removing separator pieces, the position of the user's knees can be adjusted. This provides discrete, easily recorded positions of the knee support similar to those discussed above for the foot support and side support.

It is preferred that the supporting surface of the knee support comprises a convex surface. The use of a convex surface allows the device to work with many different sizes and shapes of knee. Although it is not preferred, the device may be provided with mouldings in the supporting surface of the knee support so that it can fit the user's knee more precisely or selectively.

It may be that the seating piece can be moved relative to the base. In a preferred embodiment, the seating piece can be fixed in a plurality of discrete positions with respect to the base. It is also preferred that the device is provided with index markings that indicate the position of the seating piece with respect to the base. Although it is not preferred, it may sometimes be desirable to provide the foot support, the side support and the knee support with continuous adjustment in order to allow more precise adjustment of the user's position.

The invention also provides an apparatus for supporting two feet of a user, the apparatus comprising two devices according to the invention as discussed above. In the preferred embodiment, the two devices can be adjusted independently of one another. However, it may sometime be desirable to have two similar supports connected so that the position of one support determines the position of the second. Thus, the two foot supports may be joined to form a single support with a side support rotatab Iy joined on either side.

Similarly, one knee support may be provided of suitable width to support both knees.

The invention also provides a device for supporting a user's feet, in particular the feet of a supine user. The device comprises: a base and two foot supports joined to the base and suitable for supporting the sole of a respective foot, wherein the position or orientation of each foot support is adjustable independently of the other foot support.

The invention also provides a device for supporting the knees of a supine user. The device comprises: a seating piece; and at least two support pieces each having a supporting surface for a respective knee. The height of each support piece with respect to the seating piece is determined by at least one respective removable separator piece. In this way, the height of each knee support can be adjusted independently.

The invention also provides an apparatus for supporting two knees of a user, the apparatus comprising two devices for supporting the user's knee according to the invention as discussed above. It may be that the apparatus or device according to the invention comprises a head support. Such a support may comprise something as simple as a pillow, or it may be designed to hold the user's head still.

Brief Description of the Drawings

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of the foot rest assembly and knee rest assembly arranged according to one embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the foot rest assembly;

Figure 3 is also a perspective view of the foot rest assembly according to the same embodiment;

Figure 4 is a side view of the foot rest assembly according to the same embodiment;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the foot plate according to the same embodiment; Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view of the knee rest assembly according to the same embodiment;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the knee rest assembly at a different adjustment; and

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the index bar and the index slide of the knee rest.

Detailed Description of Exemplary Embodiments

Figure 1 shows a side view of a device according to an embodiment of the invention. A foot rest assembly 1 and a knee rest assembly 2 are mounted on a surface 3. The patient lies with their feet resting on a left foot plate 4 and a right foot plate 5 with their knees resting on the knee rest assembly. A head rest is also provided at the other end of the surface 3.

Rather than lying on a flat surface, the patient is therefore provided with support for their legs, with the knees raised in order that the pelvic and lumbar regions of the spine can lie flat.

Figures 2, 3 and 4 show the foot rest assembly according to the invention. The left foot plate 4 and the right foot plate 5 are mounted on a track 6 using a mounting assembly 7. It is the track that is attached to the surface 3, and the left foot plate and the right foot plate are free to move along this track, and hence move in relation to the surface 3. This allows the foot plates 4, 5 to be adjusted to suit the patient, and to suit the needs of the people administering the treatment. The foot plates 4, 5 are also able to move along the track independently in relation to each other, so that each foot plate can be positioned a different distance from the knee rest, as illustrated in figure 2.

The left foot plate 4 and the right foot plate 5 can also be adjusted about a left hinge 8 and a right hinge 9 respectively. For example, the left foot plate can rotate about left hinge 8 as indicated by the arrow 10 in figure 4. The position of the right foot plate 5 in relation to the mounting assembly 7 about hinge 9 is controlled by a rack and pawl arrangement 11 shown expanded in figure 2. The rack 12, which is attached to the right foot plate, can slide in and out of a holding piece 13. A pawl 14 is provided for locking the rack in place, with the pawl being sprung so that at rest it is held against the rack. A similar arrangement is provided for the left hand foot plate and illustrated in figure 4, so that the two foot plates can be adjusted independently of each other.

The left foot plate 4 and the right foot plate 5 are also provided with a left support 15 and a right support 16 respectively. These supports are intended to provide a place for the patient rest the sides of their feet, with the bony outer edge of the foot against the support. This provides greater support for the patient, and also ensures that the patient adopts a precise pose, with their feet at a predictable angle. This will help to ensure that the patient's position can be reproduced at a later date.

The supports 15, 16 can also be adjusted according to the needs of the patient and the people administering treatment. Each support is provided with a locking pin 17 that can be used to fasten the support to one of three adjustment holes 18, marked X, Y and Z. Therefore the angle of the support can be adjusted as required. Figures 2 and 3 show the left support 15 and the right support 16 set to the Z position.

Figure 5 shows a left hand face plate 4 according to the invention without any attachments. The adjustment holes 18 are all visible, as well as the lower hole 19 to which the bottom of the left hand support would be attached. Figure 6 shows the knee rest assembly 2. The knee rests 31 are elevated from the base board 32 with spacers 33. The knee rests and spacers are provided with holes 34, which fit over pegs 35 so that the knee rests and spacers are held in place.

The height of the knee rests 31 can be adjusted by adding or removing spacers 33. Figure 7 shows an example where the two knee rests have been set to different heights. This can be helpful, for example, if the patient has had a replacement hip fitted or has suffered an injury to one leg. It can also be helpful to have the knee rests at different heights if the treatment requires that the patient is not lying flat on their back.

The base board 33 rests on surface 3. As shown in figure 8, the base board is also fastened to the index slider 36, which is in turn attached to the index bar 37. The index bar is fastened to surface 3. Since the index slider is free to slide along the index bar, the base board is therefore free to slide along the surface 3. The index bar has indentations 38 set into its face so that a screw inserted into the index slider through hole 39 will engage with an indentation and hold the index slider in place. Therefore the knee rest assembly can be positioned according to the patients needs and then fastened in place.

A guide 40 is also attached to the surface 3, on the opposite end of the base board 32 to the index bar 37. The base board abuts this guide, which helps to hold it steady once the once fastened in place because it provides resistance to the base board being twisted out ofposition.

The track 6, the rack 12 and the adjustment holes 18 on the foot rest assembly 1 are all provided with markings so that the position of the foot plates 4, 5 with respect to the surface 3 can be easily recorded. The markings on the track and the rack are visible in the enlarged section of figure 2, and the markings of the adjustment holes are visible in figure 5. Markings are also provided on the index bar 37 of the knee rest assembly 2, so that the position of the knee rests 31 can be recorded as the position of the index slider 36 on the index bar and the number of spacers used for each knee rest.

Therefore, the precise position of a patient can be easily recorded and later reproduced. This is very helpful when administering repeated treatments, as is commonly the case in radiotherapy, since it allows the treatment to be administered to the same area in the same way with greater accuracy each time. Easily recorded positions also allow the patient to get into position quicker, which means that the treatment can be carried out faster overall, and therefore cause less inconvenience to the patient. Saving time in the setup for a treatment or therapy also allows more patients to be seen in a day, and therefore saves money and time for everyone involved.

In summary, the invention provides a device for supporting a supine user's foot. The device comprises a base, a foot support joined to the base and suitable for supporting the sole of the foot, and a side support rotatab Iy joined to the foot support. The side support can be positioned in relation to the foot support so as to support the outer side of the foot.

Claims

1. A device for supporting a user's foot, the device comprising: a base; a foot support joined to the base and suitable for supporting the sole of the foot; and a side support rotatab Iy joined to the foot support and arranged to support the outer side of the foot, wherein the side support can be rotated into a plurality of angular positions relative to the foot support.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the foot support is rotatab Iy joined to the base.

3. A device according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the foot support is slidably joined to the base.

4. A device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the foot support can be fixed in a plurality of discrete positions with respect to the base.

5. A device according to claim 2, 3 or 4, wherein the device is provided with index markings that indicate the position of the foot support with respect to the base.

6. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the side support can be fixed in a plurality of discrete positions with respect to the foot support.

7. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the device is provided with index markings that indicate the position of the side support with respect to the foot support.

8. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the supporting surface of the foot support is substantially planar.

9. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the side support rotates about an axis substantially normal to the supporting surface of the foot support.

10. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the side support has a supporting surface for engaging the side of the foot, in use, and the supporting surface of the side support is substantially planar.

11. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the base is joined to a bed suitable for the user to lie on.

12. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the device comprises a knee support that is suitable for supporting the underside of the user's knee.

13. A device according to claim 12 or claim 13, wherein the knee support comprises: a seating piece; a support piece which comprises the supporting surface of the knee support; and at least one removable separator piece for adjusting the spacing of the support piece relative to the seating piece.

14. A device according to claim 12 or claim 13, wherein the supporting surface of the knee support comprises a convex surface.

15. A device according to claim 12, 13 or 14, wherein the seating piece can be moved relative to the base.

16. A device according to claim 15, wherein the seating piece can be fixed in a plurality of discrete positions with respect to the base.

17. A device according to claim 15 or claim 16, wherein the device is provided with index markings that indicate the position of the seating piece with respect to the base.

18. An apparatus for supporting two feet of a user, the apparatus comprising two devices according to any preceding claim.

19. An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the two devices can be adjusted independently of one another.

20. An apparatus or device according to any preceding claim, wherein the apparatus comprises a head support.

21. An apparatus or device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying figures.