Compression garment with integral donning aid

Abstract

It has been found that the foregoing objects may be accomplished in accordance with this invention by providing compression garments of this invention having a low friction zone made with the addition of low friction material on the inside surface of a garment in discrete locations to decrease friction between skin and fabric, thus providing easier donning of a compression garments.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] This invention relates to a medical compression garment having an integral donning aid. More particularly, this invention relates to compression stockings having a low friction zone made with the addition of or completely from low friction yarns or by coating / laminating of the inside surface of a garment with the low friction materials. DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART [0002] Therapeutic medical compression garments have been used on a relatively wide scale to assist in the prevention of venous diseases and / or embolism in a patient. The purpose of such garments is to overcome the elevated internal pressures within a human extremity caused by gravity or disease processes. The pressure gradient garments, such as stockings and their uses are well documented in the literature. [0003] The custom pressure gradient stocking was developed by Conrad Jobst, a sufferer of venous disease. Mr. Jobst found relief from his problem while standing in a swimming pool. Mr....

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Benefits of technology

[0013] Yet another object of the present invention is the provision of an easy donning aid embedded in a stocking at discrete locations that provides more comfort for the patient and increases compliance and use of medical compression garments.

[0014] It has been found that the foregoing objects may be accomplished in accordance with this invention by providing compression garments of this invention having a low friction zone made with the addition of low friction material on the inside surface of a garment in discrete locations to decrease friction between skin and fabric, thus providing easier donning of compression garments.

[0016] In a first embodiment, the medical compression garments (stocking, arm sleeve, gauntlet, glove, or other) of this invention have an integral donning aid that is knitted into the main portion of the garment that contains elastic yarns and exerts pressure on the corresponding body part. There is at least one integral donning area deferring a low friction zone strategically located on the internal surface of the garment (e.g. at the narrowest and critical for donning process parts of the garment) to facilitate donning of the garment and improve patients' compliance.

Problems solved by technology

The most difficult part of putting compression garments (stockings) on is to pull the narrowest part of the garment over the wider end of a limb (foot-instep-heel for stockings or hand for arm-sleeves).

Use of these devices makes putting stocking on more complicated, sometimes requires help from another person and, also, requires purchase of such additional devices.

Unfortunately, therapeutic stockings, in order to provide the necessary compression, are often thick and rather unsightly or have other drawbacks.

One of the problems of a multi-layer stocking is that it is difficult to coordinate the compressive pressures applied by each layer to achieve a desired pressure.

Several individual stockings are necessary to produce the multi-layered system which increases production costs and price to the customer.

Also it is difficult to provide an exact match of the different zones especially for dark colored fabrics, avoid wrinkling and shifting of the underlying stocking, while pulling the upper stocking over it.

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