The present invention relates to an Achilles tendon support.
Conventionally, people who suffer from Achilles tendon disorder such as Achilles tendon rupture or Achilles tendonitis, have generally worn, for example, a support for compressing the entire ankle joint region or a support for preventing ankle joint sprain, when they have a daily life or play sports. However, the conventional supports merely employ a stretchable fabric to compress and secure the ankle joint region, and hence there is a problem in that a dorsiflexion of the ankle joint (movement of raising a toe, that is, movement of stretching the Achilles tendon under stress) cannot be suppressed.
Further, there has been known a sock having spacer cushions arranged in the Achilles tendon region (see, for example, Patent Document 1). However, the sock is merely configured to form a predetermined space between the Achilles tendon and a shoe, and hence the sock can never actually suppress the dorsiflexion of the ankle joint.
[Patent Document 1] JP-A 2006-505704
The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems and circumstances, and it is therefore an object thereof to provide an Achilles tendon support capable of suppressing a dorsiflexion of an ankle joint as well as preventing a twist of the ankle joint.
The inventor of the present invention has pursued various studies to achieve the above-mentioned object, and eventually found that significantly great effect are obtained with a dual structure including an inner support section for covering and securing an Achilles tendon region, and an outer support section for covering the Achilles tendon region in a range from a sole through a back heel portion, the outer support section being fastenable while being pulled upward. Thus, the present invention has been attained.
That is, according to the present invention, there is provided an Achilles tendon support, including: an inner support section for covering an Achilles tendon and both side edge portions thereof, upper portions of the inner support section being fastenable to each other on a front side of an upper ankle portion with a hook and loop fastener; and an outer support section for covering the Achilles tendon and both the side edge portions thereof in a range from a sole through a back heel portion, upper portions of the outer support section being fastenable to an outer surface of the inner support section with a hook and loop fastener. Thus, the above-mentioned object is achieved.
With the Achilles tendon support of the present invention, the Achilles tendon region is covered with the inner support section and the outer support section in the dual structure. Accordingly, the twist of the ankle joint can be prevented due to a synergistic effect obtained by the inner support section and the outer support section. Further, the upper portions of the outer support section are fastenable to the outer surface of the inner support section while being pulled upward, and accordingly the dorsiflexion of the ankle joint can be suppressed.
Therefore, people who suffer from Achilles tendon disorder can have their daily life and enjoy sports without anxiety, by attaching the Achilles tendon support according to the present invention.
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to the drawings.
In the figures, 10 denotes an inner support section, which is entirely made of a fabric stretchable by a smaller force than an outer support section 20 described later, and is made of a fabric stretchable by an even smaller force in an Achilles tendon abutment region 10a situated at a center portion thereof. Accordingly, the inner support section 10 covers an Achilles tendon and both side edge portions thereof without applying a large compressing force to the Achilles tendon. As illustrated in
Further, as illustrated in
20 denotes the outer support section, which is made of a fabric stretchable by a larger force than the above-mentioned inner support section 10, and covers the Achilles tendon and both the side edge portions thereof in a range from a sole through a back heel portion. At an upper edge portion of the outer support section 20, as illustrated in
When the projecting hook and loop fastener pieces 21 and 22 are grasped and fastened respectively to the outer surface of the inner support section 10 while being pulled obliquely upward, the outer support section 20 is entirely pulled upward to be secured under a state in which the outer support section 20 wraps the range from the sole to the heel. Thus, a more significant effect of suppressing a dorsiflexion of an ankle joint can be obtained. Further, the projecting hook and loop fastener pieces 21 and 22 do not abut against the Achilles tendon so that direct application of pressure to the Achilles tendon can be avoided, and the projecting hook and loop fastener pieces 21 and 22 project slightly outward so that a downward positional movement of the inner support section 10 can be suppressed when being attached.
Further, as illustrated in
Further, as illustrated in
Further, at both side portions of the outer support section 20 which abut against the heel, holes 20c are formed as illustrated in
As illustrated in
Next, description is given of a method of using the Achilles tendon support according to the above-mentioned embodiment of the present invention.
First, a foot is inserted from a heel into the support in a development state (see
10: inner support section
10
a: Achilles tendon abutment region
10
b: lower portion
11: fastening piece
12: fastening piece
13: pad
14: pad
20: outer support section
20
a: part crossing Achilles tendon
20
b: sole covering piece portion
20
c: hole
21: fastener piece
22: fastener piece
23: fastener piece
24: belt piece
25: non-stretchable portion
26: non-stretchable portion
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
2010-095071 | Apr 2010 | JP | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
PCT/JP2011/057887 | 3/29/2011 | WO | 00 | 10/25/2012 |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
WO2011/129195 | 10/20/2011 | WO | A |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
332727 | McEwen | Dec 1885 | A |
363516 | Hackey | May 1887 | A |
540931 | Walkey | Jun 1895 | A |
672146 | Collis | Apr 1901 | A |
913263 | Collis | Feb 1909 | A |
938440 | Sescila | Oct 1909 | A |
3515136 | Baker | Jun 1970 | A |
4841957 | Wooten et al. | Jun 1989 | A |
4844058 | Vogelbach | Jul 1989 | A |
5135473 | Epler et al. | Aug 1992 | A |
5795316 | Gaylord | Aug 1998 | A |
6022332 | Nelson | Feb 2000 | A |
6032286 | Thomas et al. | Mar 2000 | A |
7681254 | Lambertz | Mar 2010 | B2 |
7993295 | Nelson | Aug 2011 | B2 |
8230525 | Lambertz | Jul 2012 | B2 |
20030204157 | Cropper | Oct 2003 | A1 |
20070033710 | Lambertz | Feb 2007 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
1 179 325 | Feb 2002 | EP |
3 101931 | Oct 1991 | JP |
2002 339123 | Nov 2002 | JP |
2006 505704 | Feb 2006 | JP |
2008 173179 | Jul 2008 | JP |
2009 114577 | May 2009 | JP |
WO 8702885 | May 1987 | WO |
Entry |
---|
International Search Report Issued Apr. 26, 2011 in PCT/JP11/057887 Filed Mar. 29, 2011. |
Extended European Search Report issued on Mar. 28, 2014 in the corresponding European Application No. 11768716.0. |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20130035625 A1 | Feb 2013 | US |