The invention relates generally to an assistive device for remediating one or more of inflammation, swelling and pain, in particular in the hand and wrist. The assistive device is particularly suitable for continuous wear, and adaptable for providing a plurality of modalities of therapy.
Pain associated with inflamed joints affects a wide swath of the population. Arthritic pain is particularly problematic because it is chronic and persistent, and requires significant ongoing care. Arthritis is a common condition affecting more than 50 million adults in the United States. The hands and wrists are frequently involved, with symptoms including swelling, pain, and joint stiffness. In addition, there are approximately 3.5 million hand and wrist injuries annually in the United States seen at emergency facilities. Many of these injuries are minor, and mainly require cyclic cold application, as well as immobilization and elevation to minimize swelling/tissue inflammation and expedite healing.
Generally, in the context of joint, bone and associated soft tissue discomfort, a wide variety of non-surgical treatments abound beyond drugs and topical medications. Therapy involving application of heat or cooling, as described above, can play a significant role in helping manage these symptoms for acute care post-injury and post-surgery, and for chronic conditions, such as arthritis. Assistive devices in the form of pads and packs deliver warmth or cooling to provide temporary relief to painful and swollen joints. But these treatments can be bulky and cumbersome, are often prone to leakages, and typically cannot be readily held in place to allow the user freedom to engage in typical day-to-day, professional, and recreational activities. This is particularly the case with treatments for extremities such as the hands and wrists.
There are examples in the art of devices for delivery of cooling or warmth that are adapted to be affixed to or donned by a user, such as mitts and mittens. But these assistive devices typically suffer from many of the same challenges of pads and packs in that they are bulky and cumbersome, and though they may be held in place by virtue of fitting over the tissue, such as the hand, they generally interfere with the ability of the user to engage in some or all of their typical activities while the tissue is being treated. Further, many devices, including those that can be donned, do not precisely and effectively direct soothing treatment to the target tissue due to loose and non-specific shape and fit. Further still, many devices are formed with materials that are insulating, causing generalized heating of the entire tissue, when only certain areas are intended for delivery of therapeutic treatment. And some devices, particularly those that are designed to be close fitting, can actually increase discomfort by causing fatigue and possible reduction of blood flow due to poor fit and associated pinching or binding.
These described disadvantages, among others, often discourage use of the assistive devices, resulting in unresolved pain and perhaps slow healing and further deterioration. Thus, the devices in the art may, as a result of their construction or design, be rejected by a user, may fail to provide the desired therapeutic benefit, and also may create the possibility of exacerbating discomfort and pain. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for assistive devices, particularly for extremities such as the hand, which are form fitting to the tissue to ensure targeted delivery of therapeutic treatment to specific tissue, that will remain stably affixed without pinching or binding, and allow for motion and use of the tissue while delivering targeted therapeutic treatment.
In a first exemplary embodiment, therapeutic devices include flexible sleeves that include one or more integrated pads, or one or more removable pads, or combinations thereof, where the pads are positioned to direct therapy to isolated portions, such as specific joints of the thumb, hand or wrist, or specific fingers, or specific knuckles, or combinations of these. And in such various embodiments, the pads may be shaped and contoured to cover all or only a portion of the volar, dorsal, medial and lateral surfaces of the anatomy. In various embodiments, each of the one or more pads of a device may deliver the same type of therapy, or different types of therapy, and accordingly, each pad or insert comprising a pad may be formed of the same or different therapeutic materials.
In another exemplary embodiment, the therapeutic pads deliver therapeutic treatment, such as thermal treatment, and more particularly heating, cooling and combinations thereof. Thus, in some embodiments, the therapeutic pads may deliver one or both of heat and cold therapy. In accordance with such embodiments, the pads include one or more materials that can be heated or cooled and retain temperature over a timeframe that allows for delivery of therapeutic benefit either continuously or in cycles that are dependent, in some examples on re-heating or re-cooling the therapeutic material.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.
Features and advantages of the general inventive concepts will become apparent from the following description made with reference to the accompanying drawings, including drawings represented herein in the attached set of figures, of which the following is a brief description:
Features and advantages of the general inventive concepts will become apparent from the following description made with reference to the accompanying drawings, including drawings represented herein in the attached set of figures, of which the following is a brief description:
This description provides exemplary embodiments in accordance with the general inventive concepts and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way. Indeed, the invention as described in the specification is broader than and unlimited by the exemplary embodiments set forth herein, and the terms used herein have their full and ordinary meaning.
The general inventive concepts will now be described with occasional reference to the exemplary embodiments of the invention. Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art encompassing the general inventive concepts. The terminology set forth in this detailed description is for describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the general inventive concepts.
As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Anatomical references as used herein are intended to have the standard meaning for such terms as understood in the medical community. For example, the application may include reference to the following terms: volar (the front, as opposed to the back); dorsal (the back or behind, as opposed to the front); inferior (below, as opposed to superior); superior (above, as opposed to inferior); lateral (toward the left or right side of the body, as opposed to toward the middle); medial (in or toward the middle or inside of the body, as opposed to away from the middle and toward the left or right); proximal (toward the body, as opposed to toward the ends, such as of the fingers and hands); and distal (away from the body, as opposed to towards the body, and towards the ends).
The invention is described herein in relation to amelioration of swelling and pain in joints, including in particular, arthritic conditions of the hand. One skilled in the art will appreciate that the assistive devices and the methods of use thereof, as described herein, can be directed without undue adaptation to applications that include, but are not limited to, remediation of conditions in other tissues and other sites of the body, and amelioration of discomfort associated with a variety of causes, such as fatigue, injury, and post-surgical conditions, and the like.
Generally, in accordance with the embodiments described herein and depicted in the drawings, the invention is directed in various aspects to a contoured assistive device and its components, and methods of use of the assistive device for the relief of joint and soft tissue discomfort.
Assistive Device; Flexible Sleeve and Inserts
As described herein, the assistive device includes an anatomically contoured flexible sleeve that slips over or is fitted and fastened to and closely conforms to the anatomy to be treated, and one or a combination of therapeutic pads that comprise one or more of heating, cooling, and other therapeutic applications. Thus, in such embodiments that include therapeutic pads for delivery of thermal therapeutic applications, the therapeutic pad materials include, but are not limited to, thermal energy storage material, the therapeutic material positioned for targeted treatment of the tissue.
In some embodiments, the assistive device further includes at least one or a plurality of inserts that are positioned or removably positionable in or on the flexible sleeve in targeted areas of the anatomy to be treated, and the inserts including one or more therapeutic pads. In some such embodiments, the inserts can further include one or more retaining elements for retaining therapeutic material. And in some embodiments, the assistive devices can include one or more fasteners to secure the device in place on the anatomy, to retain therapeutic material, to affix an insert to the device, to affix a retaining element in place or in a closed configuration, or combinations of these.
Referring now to the drawings, each of
Referring again to the drawings, as depicted, each of these exemplary embodiments of an assistive device has a profile that is shaped generally like a human hand, with thumb, finger, hand and wrist regions. Referring specifically to
In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, the assistive device is shaped and configured to fit one or the other of the left or the right hand, for example as shown in
In accordance with the various embodiments, the assistive device is adapted with features to more precisely accommodate the hand of a user. In some embodiments, referring again to
In accordance with some embodiments, the assistive device is adapted with expansion features that allow expansion to accommodate the size and/or motion of the user's hand. In some examples, these expansion features include one or more of gussets, baffles, crinkled or accordion pleats, and elastic material. Referring now to
In the various embodiments, the assistive device is contoured to fit the anatomy to be treated, such as but not limited to the hand. Thus, in some embodiments, the assistive device may be suited for conforming fit to other anatomy, such as, but not limited to, the foot, ankle, wrist, elbow, knee, pelvis, shoulder and neck. And the assistive devices may be adapted for humans or for an animal such as but not limited to a dog. In another exemplary embodiment, not shown, an assistive device fits the foot and/or ankle and is adapted with features as described herein for providing a close fit and custom-targeted therapeutic delivery to anatomical structures.
As shown in the drawings, the assistive devices according to the disclosure are adapted to conform to anatomical areas that include more or fewer specific anatomical structures of the anatomical areas. Thus, as shown in the drawings, for example,
According to some embodiments, the therapeutic pads are supported by the flexible sleeve to direct therapeutic treatment to the target areas and are held in place by portions of the flexible sleeve. Thus, according to such embodiments, in some examples, the therapeutic pads target one or a combination of the distal joints of the fingers, the thumb and the wrist, leaving the distal finger and thumb joints free to allow the user to engage in daily activities. Referring to
In accordance with an exemplary embodiment according to the invention, the anatomically contoured flexible sleeve is shaped and formed of a flexible mesh or open knit material that moves with the user allowing a close fit without binding. According to one such embodiment, the sleeve is formed at least in part of a flexible and breathable net, weave, or mesh. While in some preferred embodiments, the material includes cotton or one or more additional natural fibers selected from but not limited to linen, hemp, and bamboo, some embodiments may be formed entirely or partially with synthetic and microfiber material. In an exemplary embodiment, the material of the flexible sleeve includes cotton, wicking synthetic fibers, and combinations. In accordance with the various embodiments, the material of the flexible sleeve is non-insulating, ensuring comfort and long wear-ability by the user without developing discomfort due to overheating and sweating.
In some embodiments, the flexible sleeve provides at least localized compression to all or targeted portions of the covered anatomy, which compression may or may not be co-localized with a therapeutic pad. In some embodiments, the compression helps control or decrease swelling, or enhance contact of the therapeutic pad with the targeted tissue, or both.
While the above-described exemplary embodiments as shown in the drawings are adapted for receiving removable inserts that include therapeutic pads, it will be appreciated that in other embodiments, some or all of the pads are integrated with the flexible sleeve and are not removable. According to such embodiments, the pads may be formed partially or entirely of the same material as the flexible sleeve. Thus, in some examples, the flexible sleeve and one or more integrated pads are formed of a material that is flexible and breathable, and can be treated to enable retention and delivery of thermal treatment, such as heating or cooling or both, as further described herein below in relation to the pads.
Pads and Therapeutic Material
In an exemplary embodiment, the therapeutic material is selected from a fluid or particular solid that is conforming and flowable, to allow optimal conforming to the target tissue. In some embodiments, a therapeutic pad is fitted with a flexible sleeve to be in direct contact with the targeted tissue to closely conform to and maximize the direction of thermal benefit to the tissue. In some representative examples, the thermal material may include one or more of gels, ceramic beads, plastic beads, sand and other flowable or formable materials, and heat retaining materials selected from phase change materials (PCMs), for example, sodium polyacrylates, salt hydrates, paraffins, water, vegetable-based PCMs and combinations of these. In some embodiments, the PCMs may be coated onto or formed into flowable fluids or particulates, or combinations of these. PCMs are materials that use phase changes (e.g., solidifying/liquifying) to absorb or release relatively large amounts of latent heat at relatively constant temperature.
In some embodiments, the therapeutic material may be thermally adjusted, whereby the material is either heated or cooled, using any of a variety of methods. In some examples, the material may be cooled using a conventional freezer, or exposure to or immersion in a material such as ice, dry ice, cold water, liquid nitrogen and the like. And in some examples, the material may be cooled using a microwave, a conventional oven, immersion in hot liquid such as hot water and the like, or by application of electrical energy or exposure to another electrified heat generator.
In some embodiments, the pads that are suited for delivery of heat are adapted with features that enable application of electrical energy while donned by the user whereby the therapeutic material may be heated selectively by the user without the need to remove the assistive device.
Thus, in accordance with the foregoing, referring again to
As previously described herein above, in accordance with the various embodiments, the flexible sleeve is adapted with one or more therapeutic pads for targeted anatomical distribution of therapeutic treatment, such as thermal treatment. Referring again to
Referring again to
The assistive device 200 is formed of a cotton mesh material that is open and includes elastomeric threads, wherein the flexible sleeve is close fitting and conforming to the entire hand, and the material is soft, flexible, and breathable and minimizes generalized heating of the hand of the user. The assistive device 200 is adapted with a soft, expandable cuff 250 that is elasticized to allow for expansion during movement of the hand, cuff 250 is adapted to return to a nominally expanded configuration when the hand is relaxed and a fully non-expanded configuration when the hand is removed. The pads 270 A and 270 B include therapeutic material that is suitable for either or both heating and cooling, wherein the two pads 270 A and 270 B may both be heated or cooled, or one may be heated and the other cooled, as desired by the user.
In yet another exemplary assistive device 300 is shown in
In accordance with the various embodiments, the size and positioning of multiple pad inserts, whether removable or permanent, can continuously cover one or more regions of the hand, wrist and fingers. And in some particular embodiments, as shown herein, the breaks or space between multiple pads can correspond with natural anatomical breaks or joints, thus defining in the assistive device, one or more anatomic or pseudo joints of the device that enable more natural movement of the treated anatomy, particularly the hand.
Referring now to
Referring again to
As described herein with respect to various embodiments, the assistive device 400 is particularly suitable to enable functional use of the treated anatomy, particularly the hand, during treatments. Referring again to the embodiment in
Use of the Assistive Devices for Therapy
According to the methods hereof, therapy may be delivered by a user without need for medical assistance. In some embodiments, the assistive devices herein may be used to facilitate strategic delivery of one or both cold or heat to all or part of the hand and wrist, for example with a device comprising a flexible sleeve 102 according to
Significant benefits can be realized in connection with therapeutic use of the assistive devices hereof, including, but not limited to: optimized patient experience and outcome as a result of controlled and precise application of therapeutic treatment to the anatomy to reduce swelling and provide pain relief and possible reduced reliance on drug therapeutics. Unless otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing quantities, properties, and so forth as used in the specification and claims are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the term “about.” Accordingly, unless otherwise indicated, the numerical properties set forth in the specification and claims are approximations that may vary depending on the suitable properties desired in embodiments of the present invention. Notwithstanding that any numerical ranges and parameters setting forth the broad scope of the general inventive concepts are approximations, numerical values set forth in the specific examples are reported as precisely as possible. Any numerical values, however, inherently contain certain errors necessarily resulting from error found in their respective measurements.
While various inventive aspects, concepts and features of the general inventive concepts are described and illustrated herein in the context of various exemplary embodiments, these various aspects, concepts and features may be used in many alternative embodiments, either individually or in various combinations and sub-combinations thereof. Unless expressly excluded herein all such combinations and sub-combinations are intended to be within the scope of the general inventive concepts.
Those skilled in the art may readily adopt one or more of the inventive aspects, concepts or features into additional embodiments and uses within the scope of the general inventive concepts even if such embodiments are not expressly disclosed herein. Moreover, while various aspects, features and concepts may be expressly identified herein as being inventive or forming part of an invention, such identification is not intended to be exclusive, but rather there may be inventive aspects, concepts and features that are fully described herein without being expressly identified as such or as part of a specific invention. Descriptions of exemplary methods or processes are not limited to inclusion of all steps as being required in all cases, nor is the order that the steps are presented to be construed as required or necessary unless expressly so stated. Further, while disclosed benefits, advantages, and solutions to problems have been described with reference to specific embodiments, these are not intended to be construed as essential or necessary to the invention.
This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/362,933 filed Jul. 15, 2016, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62362933 | Jul 2016 | US |