Ankle support socks

By designing ankle support socks that incorporate longitudinal and circumferential elastic bands, the problems of increased wearing complexity and reduced breathability associated with existing protective gear are solved, achieving effective ankle joint protection and improved comfort.

CN224420152UActive Publication Date: 2026-06-30361 DEGREES (CHINA) CO LTD +1

Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Utility models(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
361 DEGREES (CHINA) CO LTD
Filing Date
2025-05-16
Publication Date
2026-06-30

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

While existing braces reduce the risk of ankle sprains, they increase the complexity of wearing them, reduce breathability, and may cause foot discomfort, especially when wearing socks.

Method used

Design an ankle support sock that combines socks and ankle braces. It uses longitudinal and circumferential elastic bands to provide tension and pressure at the ankle joint, and enhances protection in key areas through cross-knitting and thickening design to form a stable network structure and control the range of motion of the ankle joint.

Benefits of technology

It effectively prevents excessive inversion and eversion of the ankle joint, reduces the risk of ankle injury, simplifies the wearing process, improves comfort and breathability, and reduces foot discomfort.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

This utility model discloses an ankle support sock, comprising: a sock body, the sock body including a toe, a forefoot / midfoot section, an ankle-heel composite section, and a sock leg connected in sequence; the forefoot / midfoot section is used to wrap the forefoot and midfoot of the foot; the ankle-heel composite section is used to wrap the ankle joint and heel of the foot; multiple longitudinal elastic bands, the longitudinal elastic bands being at least disposed on the ankle-heel composite section, the length direction of the longitudinal elastic bands being consistent with the length direction of the sock body, and the longitudinal elastic bands being arranged at intervals along the circumference of the sock body; and circumferential elastic bands, the circumferential elastic bands being at least circumferentially disposed on the ankle-heel composite section along the circumference of the sock body. This utility model combines a sock and an ankle support into one, reducing the complexity of wearing it, and effectively controlling excessive inversion and eversion of the ankle joint when the foot strikes the ground due to insufficient strength or uneven ground, thus preventing ankle sprains and plantar fascia strains.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of sock technology, and in particular to an ankle support sock. Background Technology

[0002] The ankle joint is the weight-bearing joint closest to the ground in the human body. It directly bears the weight of the whole body when standing and walking, and its stability plays an important role in the normal conduct of daily activities and sports.

[0003] The ankle joint is formed by the articular surfaces of the lower ends of the tibia and fibula and the trochlea of ​​the talus. The medial malleolus (medial side of the distal end of the tibia), the lateral malleolus (distal end of the fibula) and the posterior lip of the lower end of the tibia together form the ankle mortise. The concave structure of the ankle mortise can fit tightly with the trochlea of ​​the talus (saddle-shaped articular surface) to form a hinge joint, allowing dorsiflexion and plantarflexion of the foot.

[0004] The talus trochlea has a shape that is wider at the front and narrower at the back. When the foot is dorsiflexed, the wider front part of the articular surface enters the ankle mortise, and when the foot is plantarflexed, the narrower posterior part of the articular surface enters the ankle mortise. This anatomical adaptation results in relatively poor joint stability of the ankle joint in the plantarflexed position. In addition, the lack of ligament reinforcement in the posterior part of the talus makes the foot more prone to inversion or eversion sprains in the plantarflexed position.

[0005] In particular, because the lateral malleolus formed by the distal fibula is lower than the medial malleolus formed by the distal tibia, the lateral bony support of the ankle joint is insufficient. This difference in bony structure makes the ankle joint more susceptible to injury under inversion stress. The incidence of injury to the lateral ligamentous complex of the ankle joint (including the anterior talofibular ligament and the calcaneofibular ligament) is significantly higher than that of the medial ligament.

[0006] To reduce the risk and severity of ankle sprains, it is necessary to strengthen the muscles around the ankle joint, standardize the technique of activities, and wear appropriate protective gear during high-risk sports. However, using protective gear increases the complexity of wearing it and reduces the breathability of the ankle joint, especially when wearing socks. Moreover, as shown in the ankle brace with announcement number CN301908464S, existing braces have a certain thickness, which makes the posterior half of the foot slightly higher than the anterior half after wearing, changing the biomechanical structure and increasing the pressure on the plantar fascia and the risk of injury. The lower edge of the brace can also affect the comfort of the foot. In addition, some braces are made of hard materials, and their edges can easily chafe the skin of the ankle joint. Utility Model Content

[0007] The purpose of this invention is to provide an ankle support sock to simplify sportswear and reduce the risk of ankle joint injury.

[0008] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by this utility model is as follows:

[0009] An ankle support sock includes: a sock body comprising a toe, a forefoot / midfoot section, an ankle-heel composite section, and a sock leg connected in sequence, wherein the forefoot / midfoot section is used to wrap the forefoot and midfoot of the foot, and the ankle-heel composite section is used to wrap the ankle joint and heel of the foot; multiple longitudinal elastic bands, wherein the longitudinal elastic bands are at least disposed on the ankle-heel composite section, the length direction of the longitudinal elastic bands is consistent with the length direction of the sock body, and the longitudinal elastic bands are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the sock body; and a circumferential elastic band, wherein the circumferential elastic band is at least circumferentially arranged around the ankle-heel composite section along the circumference of the sock body.

[0010] Furthermore, it also includes two annular elastic positioning units, which are arranged around the sock body in a circumferential direction, with one elastic positioning unit located at the forefoot and the other elastic positioning unit located at the sock cuff; the two ends of the longitudinal elastic band correspond to the positions of the two elastic positioning units respectively.

[0011] Furthermore, the elastic positioning unit includes at least two long elastic bands and multiple short elastic bands. The long elastic bands are arranged around the circumference of the sock body, and each long elastic band is spaced apart along the length direction of the sock body. The short elastic bands are arranged between the long elastic bands, and the length direction of the short elastic bands is consistent with the length direction of the sock body.

[0012] Furthermore, both the long elastic band and the short elastic band are thicker than the longitudinal elastic band and the circumferential elastic band.

[0013] Furthermore, the diameter of the long elastic band and the short elastic band is 3-5 mm, and the diameter of the longitudinal elastic band and the circumferential elastic band is 2-4 mm.

[0014] Furthermore, the circumferential elastic band is spiral-shaped or loop-shaped with its ends connected.

[0015] Furthermore, when the circumferential elastic band is spiral-shaped, the two ends of the circumferential elastic band correspond to the two ends of the longitudinal elastic band; when the circumferential elastic band is ring-shaped, multiple circumferential elastic bands are arranged at intervals along the length of the sock body.

[0016] Furthermore, the longitudinal elastic band and the circumferential elastic band are cross-woven.

[0017] Furthermore, the longitudinal elastic band located at the medial and / or lateral malleolus of the foot is thicker than the longitudinal elastic bands at other locations, and the circumferential elastic band located at the medial and / or lateral malleolus of the foot is thicker than the circumferential elastic bands at other locations.

[0018] Furthermore, it also includes several elastic rings, which are disposed on the ankle-heel composite segment, and the center of the elastic rings corresponds to the medial and / or lateral malleoli of the foot.

[0019] This utility model has the following beneficial effects:

[0020] 1. The ankle support sock is equipped with longitudinal and circumferential elastic bands. The longitudinal and circumferential elastic bands are set along the length and circumference of the sock body, respectively. They can provide tension and pressure in different directions at least at the ankle-heel joint corresponding to the ankle joint. This effectively controls excessive inversion and eversion of the ankle joint when the foot lands due to insufficient strength or uneven ground, thus preventing ankle sprains and plantar fascia strains.

[0021] 2. These ankle support socks combine socks and ankle braces into one, reducing the complexity of dressing for the wearer and providing high comfort. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the ankle support sock structure of this utility model (I).

[0023] Figure 2 This is a flat view (a) of the sole of the ankle support sock of this utility model.

[0024] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram (II) of the ankle support sock structure of this utility model.

[0025] Figure 4 This is a plan view (II) of the sole of the ankle support sock of this utility model.

[0026] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram (III) of the ankle support sock structure of this utility model.

[0027] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram (four) of the ankle support sock structure of this utility model.

[0028] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram (V) of the ankle support sock structure of this utility model.

[0029] Explanation of main component symbols: 1. Sock body; 11. Sock toe; 12. Forefoot and midfoot section; 13. Ankle-heel composite section; 14. Sock leg; 2. Longitudinal elastic band; 3. Circumferential elastic band; 4. Elastic positioning unit; 41. Elastic long band; 42. Elastic short band; 5. Elastic ring. Detailed Implementation

[0030] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0031] like Figure 1-4As shown, this utility model discloses an ankle support sock, including a sock body 1, a circumferential elastic band 3, and multiple longitudinal elastic bands 2.

[0032] The sock body 1 includes a toe 11, a forefoot and midfoot section 12, an ankle-heel composite section 13, and a sock leg 14 connected in sequence. The toe 11 is used to cover the toes, the forefoot and midfoot section 12 is used to cover the forefoot and midfoot of the foot, corresponding to the phalanges, metatarsals, navicular bones, cuneiform bones, cuboid bones, etc. of the foot, the ankle-heel composite section 13 is used to cover the ankle joint and heel of the foot, and the sock leg 14 covers the lower leg above the ankle.

[0033] On the sock body 1, the direction of extension from the toe 11 to the cuff is the length direction of the sock body 1, corresponding to the longitudinal extension characteristic of the sock body 1, and the circumferential direction around the foot and leg is the circumferential direction of the sock body 1, corresponding to the transverse wrapping characteristic of the sock body 1.

[0034] The aforementioned longitudinal elastic band 2 is at least provided on the ankle-heel composite section 13. The length direction of the longitudinal elastic band 2 is consistent with the length direction of the sock body 1, and each longitudinal elastic band 2 is arranged at intervals along the circumferential direction of the sock body 1. The aforementioned circumferential elastic band 3 is at least arranged around the ankle-heel composite section 13 along the circumferential direction of the sock body 1.

[0035] Both the longitudinal elastic band 2 and the circumferential elastic band 3 are made of highly elastic material and are embedded in the sock body 1. Compared to the sock body 1, they can apply greater force to the foot and leg. Through the longitudinal elastic band 2 and the circumferential elastic band 3, tension and pressure can be provided in different parts and directions, thereby controlling the range of motion of the ankle joint. This effectively controls excessive inversion and eversion of the ankle joint due to insufficient force or uneven ground when the foot lands, reducing the risk of overstretching and injury to the medial and lateral ligaments, muscles, and plantar fascia of the ankle joint, thus preventing sports injuries and improving athletic performance.

[0036] Based on the longitudinal elastic band 2 and the circumferential elastic band 3, this ankle support sock can also function as an ankle brace, providing protection and reducing the complexity of wearing it. The two-in-one design makes the ankle support sock thinner than the combined thickness of a regular sock and brace combination, resulting in superior breathability. Furthermore, there are no chafing edges on the sole or instep, providing high comfort and minimizing pressure on the plantar fascia.

[0037] In addition to the longitudinal elastic band 2 and the circumferential elastic band 3, the sock body 1 is also provided with two annular elastic positioning units 4. The elastic positioning units 4 are also made of highly elastic material and are arranged around the sock body 1 in a circumferential direction. One elastic positioning unit 4 is located at the forefoot / midfoot section 12, and the other elastic positioning unit 4 is located at the sock cuff 14. The positions of the two elastic positioning units 4 correspond to the positions of the two ends of the longitudinal elastic band 2, which can bind the foot and leg on both sides of the ankle-heel composite section 13, preventing the ankle-heel composite section 13 from shifting after wearing and affecting the protective effect.

[0038] In this embodiment, each elastic positioning unit 4 includes at least two long elastic bands 41 and multiple short elastic bands 42. The long elastic bands 41 are arranged around the sock body 1 in a circumferential direction, and each long elastic band 41 is arranged at intervals along the length direction of the sock body 1. The length direction of the short elastic bands 42 is consistent with the length direction of the sock body 1, and the short elastic bands 42 are densely arranged between the long elastic bands 41. Together with the long elastic bands 41, they can stably bind the foot and foot, effectively preventing the ankle-heel composite segment 13 from shifting.

[0039] The elastic long band 41 and the elastic short band 42 are roughly the same thickness, with a diameter of about 3-5 mm. The longitudinal elastic band 2 and the circumferential elastic band 3 are roughly the same thickness, with a diameter of about 2-4 mm. The elastic long band 41 and the elastic short band 42 are both thicker than the longitudinal elastic band 2 and the circumferential elastic band 3 to ensure the positioning effect.

[0040] Depending on the requirements, one end of the longitudinal elastic band 2 can extend as far as near the sock cuff, and the other end can extend as far as under the forefoot, to increase the range of action and tensile strength, thereby improving the protective effect. The circumferential elastic band 3 can be spirally wound around the sock body 1, or in a loop shape with the ends connected. Figure 5 As shown, when the circumferential elastic band 3 is spiral, the two ends of the circumferential elastic band 3 correspond to the two ends of the longitudinal elastic band 2. When the circumferential elastic band 3 is a loop with its ends connected, multiple circumferential elastic bands 3 are arranged at intervals along the length of the sock body 1 to provide sufficient pressure to control the range of motion of the ankle joint.

[0041] Preferably, the longitudinal elastic band 2 and the circumferential elastic band 3 are interwoven to form a stable network structure that controls the range of motion of the ankle joint. Furthermore, as... Figure 6 As shown, some longitudinal elastic bands 2 and some circumferential elastic bands 3 can be thickened, so that the longitudinal elastic band 2 located at the medial and / or lateral malleoli of the foot is thicker than the longitudinal elastic band 2 at other locations, and the circumferential elastic band 3 located at the medial and / or lateral malleoli of the foot is thicker than the circumferential elastic band 3 at other locations. Accordingly, the tension and pressure at the medial and lateral malleoli of the foot are increased, and the protective effect is enhanced.

[0042] Or such as Figure 7As shown, several elastic rings 5 ​​can be added to the sock body 1. These elastic rings 5 ​​are located on the ankle-heel composite section 13, and the center of the elastic ring 5 corresponds to the medial and / or lateral malleolus of the foot. This can correspondingly strengthen the force at the medial and lateral malleoli and limit the range of motion of the ankle joint. However, regardless of the method used, since the ankle joint is more susceptible to injury under inversion stress, it is preferable to thicken and add elastic rings 5 ​​at the position corresponding to the lateral malleolus of the foot on the sock body 1 for reinforcement.

[0043] In summary, these ankle support socks effectively control excessive inversion and eversion of the ankle joint when the foot lands, preventing ankle sprains and plantar fascia strains. They also perform well in terms of wearing comfort, breathability, and ease of styling.

[0044] Although the present invention has been specifically shown and described in conjunction with preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that various changes in form and detail to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A support sock, characterized in that, include: The sock body includes a toe, a forefoot and midfoot section, an ankle-heel composite section, and a sock leg connected in sequence. The forefoot and midfoot section is used to wrap the forefoot and midfoot of the foot, and the ankle-heel composite section is used to wrap the ankle joint and heel of the foot. Multiple longitudinal elastic bands are provided, at least on the ankle-heel composite section. The length direction of the longitudinal elastic bands is consistent with the length direction of the sock body, and each longitudinal elastic band is arranged at intervals along the circumference of the sock body. A circumferential elastic band is provided at least circumferentially around the ankle-heel composite section of the sock body.

2. The ankle support stocking as described in claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes two annular elastic positioning units, which are arranged around the sock body in a circumferential direction, with one elastic positioning unit located at the forefoot and the other at the sock cuff; the two ends of the longitudinal elastic band correspond to the positions of the two elastic positioning units respectively.

3. The ankle support stocking as described in claim 2, characterized in that: The elastic positioning unit includes at least two long elastic bands and multiple short elastic bands. The long elastic bands are arranged around the sock body in a circumferential direction, and each long elastic band is spaced apart along the length direction of the sock body. The short elastic bands are arranged between the long elastic bands, and the length direction of the short elastic bands is consistent with the length direction of the sock body.

4. The ankle support stocking as described in claim 3, characterized in that: Both the long elastic band and the short elastic band are thicker than the longitudinal elastic band and the circumferential elastic band.

5. The ankle support stocking as described in claim 4, characterized in that: The diameter of the long elastic band and the short elastic band is 3-5 mm, and the diameter of the longitudinal elastic band and the circumferential elastic band is 2-4 mm.

6. The ankle support stocking as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The circumferential elastic band is spiral or looped with its ends connected.

7. The ankle support stocking as described in claim 6, characterized in that: When the circumferential elastic band is spiral-shaped, the two ends of the circumferential elastic band correspond to the two ends of the longitudinal elastic band; when the circumferential elastic band is loop-shaped, multiple circumferential elastic bands are arranged at intervals along the length of the sock body.

8. The ankle support stocking as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The longitudinal elastic band and the circumferential elastic band are interwoven.

9. The ankle support stocking as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The longitudinal elastic band located at the medial and / or lateral malleolus of the foot is thicker than the longitudinal elastic bands at other locations, and the circumferential elastic band located at the medial and / or lateral malleolus of the foot is thicker than the circumferential elastic bands at other locations.

10. The ankle support stocking as described in claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes several elastic rings, which are disposed on the ankle-heel composite segment, and the center of the elastic rings corresponds to the medial and / or lateral malleoli of the foot.