Supporter

Abstract

To provide a supporter which corrects hyper pronation of a rear foot during a stance phase, supports a windlass phenomenon, can lead to a normal walking cycle and minimizes obstruction of blood circulation in feet.SOLUTION: A cylindrical supporter 1 for covering a middle foot part and a rear foot part of a foot is configured by sewing together an upper sheet material 31 and a lower sheet material 32, which are made of a stretchable fabric. The supporter covers the entire distal end of a metatarsal bone and includes: a first opening 21 through which a metatarsophalangeal joint protrudes; a second opening 22 through which a talocrural joint of an ankle protrudes; and a third opening 23 through which only a heel of the sole which comes into contact with the ground is exposed. An opening edge 221 of the second opening 22 is positioned on a line Q connecting a lower end A2 of an Achilles tendon A1 and a front end k1 of the talocrural joint through a lower side at an inner side and an outer side of an ankle L1.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a supporter, and more particularly to a supporter that suppresses excessive pronation of the rearfoot during the walking cycle, maintains it in a neutral position, and enables the leg to function based on foot biomechanics. [Background technology]

[0002] Many foot disorders become chronic, affecting walking function and interfering with daily life. Because the foot is a body part that bears the weight of the body, symptomatic treatments such as surgical treatments alone are not effective enough.

[0003] In Europe and the United States, where specialized foot treatment is well advanced, there is a podiatrist system in place, and just as dentists treat teeth, foot treatment is performed by foot specialists called podium doctors, who simultaneously perform biomechanical treatment and symptomatic treatment, and prescribe orthotics, which are medical shoe insoles, to improve walking function.In Japan, people do not wear shoes at home, and there are also occupations where shoes are not worn, so orthotics are often ineffective and people often rely on supports and socks.

[0004] Conventional ankle supports, such as ankle joint fixation supports, arch compression supports, shoe insoles with arch supports, or heel cushion pads, are worn to restrict joint movement and improve or heal foot injuries caused by flat feet, plantar fasciitis, sprains, etc. However, these are temporary measures and do not fundamentally improve walking function. Furthermore, these only fix the calcaneus' eversion / valgus movement in the frontal plane or only partially compress the sole of the foot. Socks have been devised to alleviate the above-mentioned disorders, but they provide no support and no data demonstrating their therapeutic effectiveness has been provided. In such cases, conventional supports have been proposed, such as those shown in Patent Documents 1-5. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2001-346824 A [Patent Document 2] Patent Publication No. 2009-050418 [Patent Document 3] Utility Model Registration No. 3111554 [Patent Document 4] Patent Publication No. 2019-033998 [Patent Document 5] Patent Publication No. 2019-123952 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] This is true not only for symptomatic supporters, but also for Western orthotic prescriptions, where the goal is to adjust movement in three planes and improve walking function. When muscle strength and flexibility decrease due to aging or disability, walking function tends to chronically decline and stride length becomes narrower. Furthermore, poor walking function due to skeletal or mechanical reasons such as flat feet often has problems with the foot joint axis; for example, excessive pronation of the hindfoot can cause mechanical abnormalities in gait.

[0007] By biomechanically adjusting the weight bearing position of the foot, the axes of the subtalar joint, talocrural joint, and transverse tarsal joint (Chopard joint) can be adjusted and excessive pronation suppressed, correcting the position of the foot to a stable position close to the neutral position of the subtalar joint, thereby improving walking function.

[0008] The purpose of orthotic prescription is to adjust the movement of the subtalar joint K2 and transverse tarsal joint K3 shown in Figure 6 by applying pressure from the outside, and as shown in Figure 8, to smooth the gait cycle of (A) absorbing the shock at the initial contact of the heel, (B) full contact, and (C) dorsiflexion of the big toe at the push-off, while at the same time maintaining smooth movement of the ankle joint dorsiflexion and promoting improvement of walking function. However, such improvement in walking function could not be achieved with the conventional supporters described in the above patent documents.

[0009] Furthermore, because conventional supports restrict the movement of joints by applying pressure to them from the outside, there is a risk that the pressure from the supporter may impede blood circulation. In particular, because the feet and ankles are located at the extremities of the body, the pressure from the heart that pumps blood there is less likely to reach them than other parts of the body, and there is a risk that the pressure from the supporter may prevent sufficient blood flow in the feet.

[0010] The purpose of this invention is to apply the mechanical theory of orthotics to a supporter that can correct excessive pronation of the hindfoot during the stance phase of the walking cycle, leading to a normal walking cycle, while minimizing the obstruction of blood circulation in the foot. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] The present invention solves the above problems by: A supporter that covers the midfoot and rearfoot when worn on the foot, a first opening through which the metatarsophalangeal joint of the midfoot protrudes; a second opening through which the ankle's talocrural joint protrudes; and a third opening through which only the heel portion of the sole of the foot that comes into contact with the ground is exposed, At least one of the instep side and the sole side is made of a stretchable fabric, This supporter is characterized by compressing the foot from the outside when worn. Such a supporter can maintain the movement of the hindfoot in the neutral direction in the three planes of the frontal plane, sagittal plane, and horizontal plane of the subtalar joint, talocrural joint, and transverse tarsal joint.

[0012] Furthermore, when worn, the fabric around the heel presses against the heel, pushing the body tissue around the calcaneus toward the third opening. This increases the thickness of the pushed-out body tissue between the calcaneus and the ground, acting as a cushion to absorb shock and improve the feeling of walking. The opening end of the second opening is located near a line connecting the attachment of the Achilles tendon and calcaneus to the anterior end of the talocrural joint, passing under the medial and lateral malleolus, and therefore does not interfere with movement of the talocrural joint.

[0013] an elastic band having one end fixed to the outer end of the sole of the part covering the midfoot and having one of a pair of surface fasteners attached to the other end; and another surface fastener provided at a portion covering the instep of the portion covering the midfoot portion of the foot, When the foot is put on, the elastic band is stretched and one surface fastener is connected to the other surface fastener, which pushes the body tissue in the arch area of ​​the foot upward, thereby further supporting the windlass effect.

[0014] The inside of the fabric has areas of high and low contact pressure on the surface of the foot, and the areas of low contact pressure are located over the blood vessels, preventing obstruction of blood circulation. The region where the contact pressure is high is a thick portion, so that the pressure difference between the region where the contact pressure is high and the region where the contact pressure is low can be increased.

[0015] The third opening is formed, and the shoe has a heel covering material that encases the heel, The heel covering material is less stretchable than the surrounding fabric and is made of a harder material than the surrounding fabric, so that excessive pronation can be further suppressed.

[0016] a talocrural joint covering connected to the second opening and covering the talocrural joint; The talocrural joint covering material has greater stretchability than other fabrics, which prevents the supporter from slipping off the foot. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] The supporter of the present invention can maintain the movement of the hindfoot in a neutral direction in the three planes of the frontal, sagittal, and horizontal planes of the subtalar joint, talocrural joint, and transverse tarsal joint, thereby correcting the hindfoot in a functional direction and assisting walking with correct posture. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] 1 is an overall perspective view of a supporter of the present invention, showing the supporter being worn on a foot. [Figure 2] 1 is an overall perspective view of a supporter of the present invention, showing the supporter being worn on a foot. [Figure 3] 1 is an overall perspective view of a supporter of the present invention, showing the supporter being worn on a foot. [Figure 4] 10A and 10B are diagrams showing the plantar and dorsiflexion movements of the ankle joint of the supporter of the present invention when worn on the foot. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a dorsal view of the foot showing the ankle in medial, inverted, and supinated positions. [Figure 6] This is a model diagram showing the movement of the subtalar joint and transverse tarsal joint of the ankle joint. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a front view of the foot skeleton showing the foot skeleton. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a walking cycle diagram. [Figure 9] FIG. 1 is an anatomical perspective view of a foot showing the positional relationship between blood vessels and thick parts of the foot. [Figure 10] FIG. 1 is an anatomical perspective view of a foot showing the positional relationship between blood vessels and thick parts of the foot. [Figure 11] FIG. 1 is an anatomical perspective view of a foot showing the positional relationship between blood vessels and thick parts of the foot. [Figure 12] 1 is a cross-sectional view of the supporter of the present invention, showing the state in which it is worn on the foot. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is an overall perspective view of a supporter of another embodiment of the present invention, showing the supporter being worn on a foot. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is an overall perspective view of a supporter of another embodiment of the present invention, showing the supporter being worn on a foot. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] One embodiment of the supporter of the present invention will be described in detail below. The supporter 1 is worn on the outside of the foot. Figures 1 to 3 are perspective views showing the supporter of the present invention worn. The supporter 1 is formed to fit the shape of the foot and is smaller than the size of the foot to be worn. The supporter 1 is made of stretchable fabric and is worn on the foot in a stretched state. The supporter 1 is configured in a substantially cylindrical shape and has a first opening 21 formed at the tip, a second opening 22 formed at the rear end, and a third opening 23 also at the rear end and positioned opposite the second opening 22. When worn on the foot, the supporter 1 has an upper sheet material 31 that covers the instep of the foot and a lower sheet material 32 that covers the sole of the foot.

[0020] A second opening 22 is formed at the rear end of the upper sheet material 31, and a third opening 23 is formed at the rear end of the lower sheet material 32. The supporter 1 is constructed by sewing together a peripheral edge 312 of the upper sheet material 31 excluding a leading edge 311 and a peripheral edge 322 of the lower sheet material 32 excluding a leading edge 321 to form a seam 33. The seam may be joined by other methods such as adhesive. A first opening 21 is formed by the leading edge 311 of the upper sheet material 31 and the leading edge 321 of the lower sheet material 32. At least one of the upper sheet material 31 and the lower sheet material 32 may be stretchable, but it is preferable that both be stretchable. The stretchability of each sheet material 31, 32 is preferably in directions that intersect the stretching direction (X direction and Y direction in the XY plane).

[0021] In this embodiment, when the supporter 1 is worn on the foot, it supports all metatarsal bones C2 up to the vicinity of their distal ends, and the metatarsophalangeal joints K4 of the midfoot protrude from the first opening 21. If the distance from the heel to the end of the first opening 21 is short, sufficient pressure cannot be applied to all metatarsals, resulting in weak correction of inversion and eversion at the transverse tarsal joints K3. Furthermore, if the distance from the heel to the end of the first opening 21 is too long, the metatarsophalangeal joints K4 will be covered, hindering dorsiflexion of the big toe.

[0022] The ankle's talocrural joint K1 protrudes from the second opening 22. The third opening 23 is provided at a position corresponding to the calcaneus when the supporter 1 is attached to the foot, and the fabric of the sheets 31, 32 positioned around the heel tightens the body tissue (fat, muscle, etc.) around the calcaneus by the tension as it recovers from the tensile state, pushing the body tissue toward the third opening 23.

[0023] As shown in Figure 4, the opening edge 221 of the second opening 22 is shaped to follow a line Q that runs from the lower end of the attachment point A2 between the Achilles tendon A1 and the calcaneus of the foot, through the underside of the lateral malleolus (lateral malleolus) and the medial malleolus (medial malleolus) L1, and reaches the anterior end k1 of the talocrural joint K1.

[0024] As shown in Figure 5, when the function of the ankle joint declines due to aging or other factors, the ankle joint becomes over-pronated (A) and over-supinated (C), causing problems with walking. However, by using Supporter 1 to support the instep, sole, and heel periphery, the ankle joint is maintained in a neutral position (B). Biomechanically, the foot functions best when the subtalar joint is in the neutral position. When maintained in the neutral position, the talocrural joint axis M changes to a functional direction, and the foot pushes off more strongly. This strengthened push-off also increases stride length and improves walking posture.

[0025] As shown in Figure 4, this effect is achieved by tightening the area below line Q, which runs from the attachment A2 of the Achilles tendon A1 and calcaneus C1 of the foot, through the underside of the lateral and medial ankles L1, to the anterior end k1 of the talocrural joint K1, with the supporter 1. As shown in Figure 6, by wearing the supporter 1 of this embodiment, pressures F1 and F2 are applied from the outside (from above, below, left and right) of the subtalar joint K2 and transverse tarsal joint K3, forcing the positions of each joint to be maintained in the neutral position (B).

[0026] When the foot is worn, the position of the opening end edge 221 of the second opening 22 may be located near line Q, such as above line Q, as long as it does not interfere with the movement of the talocrural joint K1, and may, for example, overlap the ankle L1. As a result, as shown in FIG. 7, the talocrural joint axis M returns to its normal position, allowing the patient to walk without any problems.

[0027] Conventional supports are designed to tighten the entire ankle joint, covering the entire ankle joint, including the Achilles tendon and heel, which hinders dorsiflexion and narrows stride length. Furthermore, supports that cover the heel and provide a padded area can cause the pad to collapse and deform between the sole and the heel, resulting in unstable heel contact. The provision of the third opening 23 ensures the sensation of walking barefoot, allowing the skin of the heel to directly contact the floor, resulting in stable walking. Furthermore, body tissue, such as fat, extruded into the third opening 23 acts as a cushion. On the other hand, conventional supports that expose a large portion of the heel provide weaker restriction on heel movement, making it difficult to correct to a neutral position.

[0028] The supporter of the present invention can maintain the movement of the hindfoot in a neutral direction in the three planes of the frontal, sagittal, and horizontal planes of the subtalar joint (K2), talocrural joint (K1), and transverse tarsal joint (K3), thereby correcting the hindfoot in a functional direction and assisting walking with correct posture.

[0029] In the walking cycle shown in Figure 8, (A) when the heel initially touches the ground, the shock is absorbed by the body tissues that push in the direction of the third opening. (B) In the full-contact state, the heel directly touches the floor through the third opening 23, and the metatarsophalangeal joint also directly touches the floor, maintaining a neutral position and stably supporting the body. (C) Then, smooth dorsiflexion of the big toe is ensured during push-off. In this movement, the big toe supports the windlass phenomenon, in which the plantar fascia contracts during push-off. These factors maintain smooth dorsiflexion of the ankle joint and promote improvement of walking function.

[0030] By providing the third opening 23, the thickness of the supporter can be reduced, making it easier to fit it to footwear such as shoes. Furthermore, by making the upper sheet material 31 that covers the instep thinner, it becomes even easier to fit it to footwear.

[0031] As shown in Figures 9 to 12, the supporter 1 may have thickened portions. The thickened portions are provided on the inside of the stretchable fabric 10. The contact pressure on the surface of the foot at the locations where the thickened portions come into contact with the surface of the foot is higher than that at areas where the thickened portions do not come into contact. The positions of the thickened portions are determined so that the gaps formed between the thickened portions correspond to the positions of the blood vessels passing through the interior of the foot. By arranging them in this way, the pressure of the supporter ensures the circulation of blood within the blood vessels, eliminating problems such as congestion in the toes.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 9, the thick plantar portion 41 is positioned so as not to overlap the medial plantar artery B1 or the plantar arterial arch B2. The thick plantar portion 42 and the thick plantar portion 41 are positioned so that the medial plantar artery B1 is located in the gap between the thick plantar portion 42 and the thick plantar portion 41. As shown in FIG. 10, the thick instep portion 43 is positioned so as not to overlap the dorsalis pedis artery B3 or the arch of the foot B4. As shown in FIG. 11, the thick plantar portion 41 is positioned so that the dorsalis pedis artery B3 is located between the thick plantar portion 43 and the thick plantar portion 42. The positions of the thick plantar portion 41 and the thick instep portion 43 are determined so that the lateral plantar vein B5 is located between the thick plantar portion 41 and the thick instep portion 43.

[0033] 12, the thickened portions 41, 42, and 43 are arranged so that the lateral plantar vein B5 overlaps the gap b5 between the thickened plantar portion 41 and the instep thickened portion 43, the medial plantar artery B1 overlaps the gap b1 between the thickened plantar portion 41 and the medial thickened portion 42, and the gap b3 between the medial thickened portion 42 and the instep thickened portion 43. In addition, a thickened outer heel portion 44 and a thickened inner heel portion 45 are provided. The thick portions described above do not have to be provided. Furthermore, by not providing thick portions and instead configuring the sheet materials 31 and 32 with thinner materials, fitting to footwear becomes even easier.

[0034] As shown by phantom lines in Figures 3 and 12, an additional component is an elastic band fixing portion 52 to which an elastic band 51 is fixed on the outer side of the sole when the sole is worn. The elastic band 51 is a stretchable band that, when stretched, generates tension in the direction of contraction with a predetermined elastic modulus. The width of the elastic band 51 is approximately equal to the distance between the arch of the foot in the anterior-posterior direction, and is configured to be wrapped around the arch of the foot. One flat fastener 53 of a pair of surface fasteners is provided at the tip of the elastic band 51, and the other flat fastener 54 is provided on the top surface of the upper sheet material 31.

[0035] Each pair of surface fasteners 53, 54 is made up of a male and female member, and can be in a joined state where they are joined by surface contact, or in a separated state where they are pulled apart. The surface fastener 54 provided on the upper sheet material 31 has a larger area than the surface fastener 53, and is configured to be longer than the surface fastener 53 along the winding direction of the elastic band 51. With this configuration, the connection position of the surface fastener 53 to the surface fastener 54 can be selected arbitrarily along the winding direction of the elastic band 51.

[0036] The normal length of the elastic band 51 in an unstretched state is sufficiently shorter than the distance from the elastic band fixing part 52 to the surface fastener 54 when wrapped around the outside of the foot, and the elastic band 51 is not long enough to connect the surface fastener 53 to the surface fastener 54 unless the elastic band 51 is pulled and stretched. To activate the elastic band 51, the elastic band 51 is pulled and stretched, and then pulled further upward (in the direction of arrow F3 in FIG. 12) with the elastic band 51 overlapping the arch of the foot. By pulling in this way, the body tissue of the arch of the foot is pushed up (imaginary line 55).

[0037] After the arch has been pushed up in this way, the tension of the elastic band 51 is maintained and the elastic band 51 is then wrapped around the instep (in the direction of arrow Y1 in Figures 6 and 12) and the flat fastener 53 at the tip is connected to the flat fastener 54. As a result, the arch of the foot remains pushed up as shown by the imaginary line 55, and the arch is constantly compressed by the stretched elastic band 51. By maintaining this state, support for the windlass effect is further strengthened.

[0038] A supporter 1A according to another embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 13 and 14. The supporter 1A is formed to fit the shape of the foot and is smaller than the size of the foot to be worn. The supporter 1A is made of a stretchable fabric and is worn on the foot with the fabric stretched. The supporter 1A is configured in a substantially cylindrical shape and has a first opening 21 formed at the tip, a second opening 22 formed at the rear end, and a third opening 23 also at the rear end and positioned opposite the second opening 22. When worn on the foot, the supporter 1A has an upper sheet material 31 that covers the instep, a lower sheet material 32 that covers the sole, a heel covering material 34 that encases the heel, and a talocrural joint covering material 35 that covers the talocrural joint.

[0039] A second opening 220 is formed at the rear end of the upper sheet material 31, and a base end edge 351 of the tubular talocrural joint covering material 35 is joined to the opening edge 221 of the opening 220 to form a sutured portion 37. The joining method may be adhesive or the like instead of suturing. The tip end edge of the talocrural joint covering material 35 forms a second opening 22. At least one of the upper sheet material 31 and the lower sheet material 32 needs to be stretchable, but it is preferable that both be stretchable. The heel covering material 34 that wraps around the heel and the talocrural joint covering material 35 that covers the talocrural joint are also preferably stretchable. The heel covering material 34 is set to have less stretchability than the upper sheet material 31 and the lower sheet material 32, while the talocrural joint covering material 35 is set to have greater stretchability. The stretchability of each sheet material 31, 32, 34, 35 is preferably in directions that intersect the stretching directions (X direction and Y direction in the XY plane). The upper sheet material 31, the lower sheet material 32, the heel covering material 34, and the talocrural joint covering material 35 as described above are specifically combined as follows to form the supporter 1A.

[0040] Both side ends 312, 312 of the tip of the upper sheet material 31 are joined to both side ends 322, 322 of the lower sheet 32 ​​to form a seam 33, forming a tubular shape. The rear end 323 of the lower sheet material 32 and the rear edge 313 of the upper sheet material 31 are joined to the peripheral edge 341 of the heel covering material 34 to form a seam 36, and the talocrural joint covering material 35 is joined to the opening 220 of the upper sheet material 31, as described above.

[0041] In the above-described configuration, heel covering material 34 is made of a sheet material that has a weaker restoring force and is harder than upper sheet material 31 and lower sheet material 32 that are joined to its periphery. When this supporter 1A is worn on the foot, upper sheet material 31 and lower sheet material 32 are in a stretched state, and a force is generated in the contracting direction. In other words, the restoring force of upper sheet material 31 and lower sheet material 32 in a stretched state pushes the biological tissue around the bones, which is compressed from the outside, toward first opening 21 and third opening 23. In particular, the biological tissue near the heel of the foot, especially around the calcaneus, is pushed toward third opening 23. In supporter 1A of this embodiment, heel covering material 34 is made of a material that is harder than the surrounding structural materials, so the pushed biological tissue is prevented from bulging outward and is reliably guided toward third opening 23. As a result, the body tissue pushed toward the third opening 23 increases the thickness between the calcaneus and the ground, acting as a cushion to absorb shock and improve the feeling of walking.

[0042] On the other hand, the talocrural joint covering 35 is made of a material that is more flexible and has a wider range of stretch than the upper sheet material 31 and the lower sheet material 32. Furthermore, it may be made of a thinner material than the upper sheet material 31 and the lower sheet material 32. By using such a material, the talocrural joint covering 35 covers the narrowest part of the ankle from the outside, compressing this narrowest part from the outside, thereby making the supporter 1A of the present invention less likely to slip off the foot. In other words, this has the effect of preventing the supporter 1A of the present invention from easily slipping off the foot in sports that involve vigorous foot movement, such as barefoot martial arts and other sports.

[0043] [Explanation of symbols]

[0044] 1. Supporters 21 First opening 22 Second Opening 221 Opening edge 23 Third Opening 31 Upper sheet material 32 Lower sheet material 33, 36, 37 Suture area 34 Heel covering material 35 Talocrural joint covering material 41~45 Thick part 51 Elastic Band 53, 54 Surface fasteners

Claims

1. A supporter that covers the midfoot and rearfoot when worn on the foot, a first opening through which the metatarsophalangeal joint of the midfoot protrudes; a second opening through which the ankle talocrural joint protrudes; and a third opening through which only the heel portion of the sole of the foot that comes into contact with the ground is exposed, At least one of the instep side and the sole side is made of a stretchable fabric, This supporter is characterized by compressing the foot from the outside when worn.

2. 2. The supporter according to claim 1, wherein when worn, the fabric around the heel presses against the heel, forcing the body tissue around the calcaneus toward the third opening.

3. The supporter described in claim 1, characterized in that the opening end of the second opening is located near a line connecting the attachment point of the Achilles tendon and calcaneus, passing under the medial and lateral malleolus, to the anterior end of the talocrural joint.

4. an elastic band having one end fixed to the outer end of the sole of the part covering the midfoot and having one of a pair of surface fasteners attached to the other end; and a second surface fastener provided at a portion covering the instep of the foot at a portion covering the midfoot, The supporter described in claim 1, characterized in that when worn on the foot, the elastic band is stretched and one surface fastener is connected to the other surface fastener, thereby pushing up the body tissue in the arch area of ​​the foot.

5. 2. The supporter according to claim 1, wherein the inside of the fabric has areas of high and low contact pressure with the surface of the foot, and the areas of low contact pressure are located over blood vessels.

6. The supporter according to claim 5, wherein the region of high contact pressure is a thick portion.

7. The third opening is formed, and the shoe has a heel covering material that encases the heel, 3. The supporter according to claim 2, wherein the heel covering material is made of a material that is less stretchable and harder than the surrounding fabric.

8. a talocrural joint covering connected to the second opening and covering the talocrural joint; The supporter according to claim 1 , wherein the talocrural joint covering material has greater elasticity than other fabrics.

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