The invention relates to a foot bandage for compression therapy of lymphedema.
A foot bandage for compression therapy of lymphedema is known from WO 2005/092401 A1 (See, for example FIG. 6 of this PCT application). It includes an inner tube- or sock-like part made of an elastic material (cotton-Lycra blend) as well as three outer bands made of elastic material. The tube- or sock-like part has a sole section and side sections connected laterally to it in one piece, which enclose the metatarsus in the form of a tube when the bandage is positioned. Two or three elastic bands are wound around the instep and fixed there under tension by fasteners to exert compression on the foot. The third band is wrapped around the distal calf area, proximally connected to the foot and also fastened there under tension by fasteners. Owing to tensile stress of the bands, compression is exerted on the foot, especially in the metatarsal area and on the distal section of the lower leg. Lymphedema (fluid accumulations in the intercellular space caused by mechanical insufficiency of the lymphatic system of the human or animal body) can be treated by such compression, by supporting the transport of lymph due to the compression pressure exerted by the foot bandage and thereby reducing lymph congestion.
The foot bandage for compression therapy of lymphedema known from the prior art has the drawback that the arrangement of bands on the tube- or sock-like part is predetermined. Adjustment of the foot band as to the anatomy of the foot of the patient is therefore not possible.
The disclosure includes modification of a generic foot bandage so that individual adjustment to the anatomy of the foot of the patient is made possible.
Preferred embodiments of the foot bandage are also disclosed.
The foot bandage according to the invention includes, like the foot bandage of the prior art just described, a sole section as well as two side sections connected laterally to the sole section and a distal tab section made of elastic material with at least one pull tab, which is wound around the instep and fastened to one of the side sections when the bandage is applied in order to exert compression on the foot. The distal tab section then includes at least one pull tab, which can also be designed as an elastic band, as in the known foot bandage, fasteners being arranged on a free end of the pull tab or band with which the pull tab or the band can be fastened under tension to a side section. The foot bandage according to the invention also includes a proximal compression band made of an elastic material, which has a first fastener and can be removably fastened to the side sections of the foot bandage. When the foot bandage is applied, the proximal compression band is releasably fastened to the side sections in an area above the heel by means of the first fastener. Due to the of releasable fastening of the proximal compression band to the side sections of the foot bandage in an area above the heel it is possible to fasten the proximal compression band in the longitudinal direction of the lower leg (in the vertical direction) at different sites of a distal section of the lower leg and thereby adapt the fastening position of the proximal compression band to the anatomy of a patient.
The proximal compression band has two fasteners for fastening of the proximal compression band under tension to a distal section of the lower leg. They are expediently arranged on at least one end section of the proximal compression band. To exert compression pressure, the proximal compression band is wound around a distal section of the lower leg when the foot bandage is applied and fastened there under extension by means of the second fastener. An end section of the proximal compression band is then expediently placed above the other end section of the compression band and fastened to its outside by means of the second fastener.
The fasteners of the pull tabs of the distal tab section as well as the first and second fasteners of the proximal compression band are expediently a hook-and-loop fastener. The hook parts of the hook-and-loop fastener are then preferably removably fastened to the end sections of the corresponding pull tabs or bands. This makes it possible to use the foot bandage for both the left and right foot.
In a preferred embodiment, each side section of the foot bandage according to the invention has a distal tab section, each tab section having at least one pull tab or a band. This permits use of the foot bandage both for a right and left foot. Each tab section preferably has a first and at least a second pull tab. The pull tabs of each tab section are then expediently made from the same elastic material as the proximal compression band. The side sections of the sole section are also preferably made from the same material, which is preferably an elastic textile material with a maximum elongation in the range of 15 to 50% of the unstretched length. The textile material, for example, can be a textile fabric made of polyamide and elastane, especially with 87% polyamide and 13% spandex, relative to the weight of the textile fabric.
If a distal tab section has several pull tabs, adjacent pull tabs of a tab section are expediently separated from each other by an indentation in the corresponding tab section. It is then possible to fasten the pull tabs of a tab section at an angle to each other on the opposite tab section when the foot bandage is applied. Adjustment of the foot bandage to the anatomy of the patient can also occur on this account.
At least each pull tab of one of the two distal tab sections also expediently has a fastener with which the pull tab can be releasably fastened to the opposite side section or its tab section. The fastener can be designed as a hook part of the hook-and-loop fastener and removably arranged on the pull tab of one of the two tab sections. This makes it possible to remove the hook parts of the hook-and-loop fastener from the pull tabs of one tab section and fasten them to the pull tabs of the other tab section. The foot bandage can then be used for both a right and left foot.
In a preferred embodiment example the two side sections and the sole section of the foot bandage are formed by separate parts that are fastened, especially stitched together. The side sections in the area of the heel are then joined together along a vertical seam, the vertical seam lying in the area of the Achilles tendon when the foot bandage is applied. Each side section is also joined, especially stitched, to the sole section along the horizontal seam. Each side section, in a preferred embodiment of the foot bandage according to the invention has a proximal and a distal edge, which are at least essentially straight. A tab section expediently having two or more pull tabs or bands is arranged in each side section between the proximal edge and the distal edge. The extensions of the proximal and distal edge of a side section then meet preferably at an angle lying between 40 and 50° and especially 45°.
Cushioning is expediently incorporated in the sole section to increase wearing comfort. Cushioning can then be sewn especially to the outside of the sole section.
These and additional features and advantages of the foot bandage according to the invention are apparent from the embodiment example described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the drawings show:
The foot bandage depicted in
The two side sections 2, 3 are joined to each other by a vertical seam 10 in an area 2a, 3a above the heel. When the foot bandage is applied, the vertical seam 10 runs in the vertical direction above the heel in the area of the Achilles tendon of the patient. The foot bandage has a recess 13 in the heel area. Cushioning is preferably incorporated in the sole section 1 in order to increase wearing comfort. The cushioning can be sewn, for example, onto an outside of the sole section 1.
Each side section 2, 3 has a proximal edge 2b, 3b and a distal edge 2c, 3c. A tab section 4, 5 is arranged in each side section 2, 3 between the proximal edge 2b, 3b and the distal edge 2c, 3c. The extensions of the proximal edge 2b, 3b and the distal edge 2c, 3c then meet at an angle between 40 and 50° and preferably at an angle of 45°.
The sole section 1, the two side sections 2, 3 and each distal tab section 4, 5 are then expediently made from an elastic material, for example, an elastic short-pull textile material. The elastic material expediently has a maximum range of elongation between 15 and 50% of the unstretched state. The elastic material can be a textile fabric made of polyamide and spandex, for example, with 87% polyamide and 13% spandex, relative to the weight of the textile fabric. The maximum elongation of the elastic material preferably lies in the range from 15 to 50% of the unstretched length and with particular preference either between 15 and 20% or between 25 and 35%.
Each distal tab section 4, 5 includes in the embodiment example depicted in the drawing two pull tabs 4a, 4b and 5a, 5b. The pull tabs 4a, 4b and 5a, 5b of a tab section 4, 5 are separated from each other by an indentation 12 in the corresponding tab section 4, 5.
Fasteners 6 are arranged on at least one of the two distal tab sections 4, 5 for fastening of the foot bandage to a foot of a patient. These fasteners 6 are expediently a hook-and-loop fastener. The fasteners 6 in the embodiment example depicted in the drawing are removably arranged on a free end of the two pull tabs 5a, 5b of a tab section 5.
The part of the foot bandage consisting of the sole section 1 and the side sections 2 and 3 with the distal tab sections 4, 5 can be fastened under tension to the foot of the patient by means of fastener 6 so that this part of the foot bandage exerts a compression pressure on the foot. The compression pressure exerted on the foot when the foot bandage is applied, depending on the set elongation, expediently lies in the range between 8 and more than 40 mmHg and can be set to compression values up to 60 mmHg. Elongation of the elastic material then occurs by manual tension on the distal tab sections 4, 5 and is fixed by attaching fastener 6. For this purpose, the distal tab sections 4, 5, on which the pull tabs 4a, 4b and 5a, 5b are arranged are wound around the instep, and the distal tab section 5, on the pull tabs 5a, 5b of which the fasteners 6 are arranged, is fastened under tension by means of fastener 6 to the opposite side section 2. Positioning of the foot bandage on a foot is explained below in further detail with reference to
The foot bandage according to the invention also includes a removable proximal compression band 7. This compression band 7 is shown in the open state in the depiction of
Positioning of the foot bandage on the foot of a patient is explained below with reference to
By manual tension on the pull tabs 4a, 4b and 5a, 5b of the distal tab sections 4, 5 compression is exerted on the foot of the patient. This compression is fixed by fastening the pulled tab sections 4, 5 on the opposite side sections 2, 3. For this purpose, the fasteners 6 arranged on the free ends of pull tabs 5a, 5b of a tab section 5 are fixed on the outside of the opposite side section 2. The fasteners 6 are then expediently designed to be removable. This makes it possible to use the foot bandage for both the right and left foot. Fastening of the fastener 6 to the free ends of pull tabs 5a, 5b of a distal tab section 5 is shown in
For fixation of the foot bandage on the foot, a first pull tab 5b and then the second pull tab 5a of a distal tab section 5 are initially attached by fastener 6 to the outside of the opposite side section 2, as shown in
The proximal compression band 7 is then fastened in the area of the lower leg of the patient. For this purpose, the inside of the proximal compression band 7 is initially fastened by means of the first fastener 8 to the outside of side sections 2, 3. Fastening then occurs in the area 2a, 3a of side sections 2, 3 that lies above the heel. Fastening of the proximal compression band 7 to the side sections 2, 3 via the first fastener 8 is shown in
For fastening of the proximal compression band 7 to a desired location on the lower leg or ankle joint of the patient, removable second fasteners 9 are initially arranged on one of the end sections 7a of the proximal compression band 7, as shown in
When the tab sections 4, 5 are fastened to the opposite side sections 3 and 2, it must be kept in mind that the foot of the patient is fully enclosed by the side sections 2 and 3 and tab sections 4, 5, so that no free locations form through which body tissue might swell. The proximal compression band 7 should also be correspondingly positioned so that it at least partially overlaps the side sections 2, 3.
The invention is not restricted to the embodiment depicted in the drawings. For example, the number of pull tabs of the tab sections 4, 5 can be adjusted to the size of the bandage and the anatomy of the foot. In longer bandages, each tab section 4, 5 can also include three or more pull tabs; and in shorter bandages, only one pull tab can be sufficient. It is also sufficient if a tab section with at least one pull tab is arranged only on one of the two side parts 2, 3. The embodiment of the invention with tab sections 4, 5 on both side parts 2, 3 depicted here, however, has the advantage that the foot bandage can be used for both a right and left foot.
The elongation characteristics of the elastic materials are variable over a wide range and can be adjusted to the requirements of the compression treatment to be performed with the bandage. Other fasteners instead of hook-and-loop fasteners can also be used, such as press studs or hook-and-eye closures.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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20 2016 100 937.5 | Feb 2016 | DE | national |