Shoulder tape

Abstract

Shoulder tape (1) is affixed to the upper body of a user (H) in a range including a shoulder, and the shoulder tape (1) comprises a base section (2), front tape (3), rear tape (4) and an anchor section (5). The base section (2) is attached to the upper body so as to cover the humeral head from the front. The front tape (3) is connected to the base section (2) and extends towards the coracoid process. The rear tape (4) is connected to the base section (2) and extends along the acromial process toward the spina scapulae. The anchor section (5) is connected to the base section (2) and is wrapped around the upper arm via the underarm.

Description

Shoulder taping

[0001] The present invention relates to shoulder taping to be attached to a human shoulder. This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-224330 filed on December 19, 2024, and incorporates its content herein by reference.

[0002] In professional and amateur baseball players, etc., a condition called "pitching-impaired shoulder" is known, which causes pain, weakness, etc. during the pitching motion. The lesions causing pitching-impaired shoulder vary among individual patients, and examples include damage to the loose part of the rotator cuff in the shoulder, damage to the glenoid labrum of the shoulder joint, damage to the rotator cuff, and inflammation caused by impingement (collision) of the humerus under the acromion or subcoracoid process. In any case, instability and rotational axis deviation of the humeral head with respect to the glenoid fossa of the scapula occur, and it is considered that the humeral head has difficulty rotating smoothly.

[0003] In the shoulder, the subjects in which instability and rotational axis deviation of the humeral head with respect to the glenoid fossa of the scapula occur are not limited to pitching-impaired shoulder. For example, in cases such as frozen shoulder including stiff shoulder, or when a rotator cuff rupture occurs in the shoulder, instability may occur in the shoulder joint. Furthermore, even in a state where the shoulder is likely to be displaced forward due to so-called hunchback, etc., which is not even considered a disease, by stabilizing the position of the shoulder joint, it is expected that the posture will be corrected and chronic pains such as shoulder stiffness, neck pain, and low back pain will be alleviated or disappear.

[0004] Some devices worn on the shoulder are known. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration of a device for preventing recurrence of shoulder dislocation that can adjust the range of motion of abduction and external rotation by adjusting the fixing position of a belt.

[0005] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2019-154520

[0006] Most shoulder braces currently in use are primarily designed to restrict movement of the shoulder joint and keep it at rest. The brace described in Patent Document 1 is no exception; although it allows for adjustment of the range of motion for abduction and external rotation so as not to excessively restrict daily life, its primary purpose is to keep the shoulder joint at rest and prevent excessive movement in order to prevent redislocation. Therefore, it is naturally impossible, and not even intended, to move the shoulder to an extent that does not interfere with daily life while wearing it.

[0007] Incidentally, shoulder taping is sometimes used as a means of supporting the movement of the shoulder joint. When using taping, it is easier and simpler to attach (apply) to the shoulder compared to shoulder braces that are fixed to the shoulder using belts as described in Patent Document 1, etc. However, with conventional taping, a complex wrapping method is required to apply the tape to the area where anatomical effects can be expected. For this reason, it is difficult for the average user without knowledge of anatomy or orthopedics to apply the tape to the desired body part in order to obtain a high level of support, and there is a risk that sufficient effects will not be obtained.

[0008] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a shoulder taping system that can be easily applied to the shoulder, even by ordinary users without anatomical knowledge, to achieve the desired effect, and that can improve instability around the shoulder joint without hindering shoulder movement.

[0009] The present invention relates to shoulder taping applied to the upper body of a user, including the shoulder, and comprises a base, an anterior tape, a posterior tape, and an anchor portion. The base is attached to the upper body so as to cover the humeral head from the front. The anterior tape is connected to the base and extends toward the coracoid process. The posterior tape is connected to the base and extends toward the scapular spine through the acromion. The anchor portion is connected to the base and is wrapped around the upper arm through the armpit.

[0010] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide shoulder taping that can be easily applied to the shoulder even by ordinary users without anatomical knowledge, thereby achieving the desired effect, and that can improve instability around the shoulder joint without hindering shoulder movement.

[0011] This figure shows the shoulder taping according to the first embodiment of the present invention in a state where it is attached to the user. This is a front view of the shoulder taping according to the first embodiment. This is a front view of the shoulder taping according to the second embodiment of the present invention. This figure shows the shoulder taping according to the third embodiment of the present invention in a state where it is attached to the user. This is a front view of the shoulder taping according to the third embodiment.

[0012] (First Embodiment) A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. Figure 1 is a diagram showing the shoulder taping 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention attached to the user H. Figure 2 is a front view of the shoulder taping 1 according to the first embodiment. The shoulder taping 1 is a sheet-like member that is detachably attached to the upper body of the user H, including the shoulder. The shoulder taping 1 is made of a mixed material such as cotton or urethane, and is stretchable along its planar direction. The material of the shoulder taping 1 is not limited to the material described above, and other materials can be used as long as they can be attached to the body and are stretchable. Furthermore, the length and strength of the shoulder taping 1 before stretching can be appropriately set considering the amount of tension to be generated when it is attached to the shoulder in the manner described later.

[0013] In Figure 2, the shoulder tape 1 has a fully adhesive surface on its reverse side (the side facing the back of the paper), allowing it to be directly attached to the user H's body. In the following embodiment, the shoulder tape 1 attached to the user H's right shoulder will be described as an example, but it may also be attached to the left shoulder. When attached to the left shoulder, the shape of the shoulder tape 1 will be a left-right inversion of the shape shown in Figure 2.

[0014] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the shoulder taping 1 comprises a base 2, an anterior tape 3, a posterior tape 4, and an anchor portion 5. The base 2 is formed in a circular shape, for example, about the size of a human palm. The base 2 is attached to the upper body of user H so as to cover the humeral head from the front. More specifically, the base 2 is attached to the shoulder of user H so that its center is roughly located from the rotator cuff interval between the supraspinatus tendon and the subscapularis tendon to the anterior center of the humeral head (around the lesser tubercle of the humerus). Near the center of the base 2, a mark 11 is provided at a position corresponding to the lesser tubercle from the rotator cuff interval between the supraspinatus tendon and the subscapularis tendon.

[0015] The anterior tape 3 is connected to the base 2 and extends along the user H's clavicle towards the upper left of the body. The tip 3a of the anterior tape 3, located opposite the base 2, is attached near the coracoid process, which is a part of the user H's scapula.

[0016] The posterior tape 4 is connected to the base 2 and extends upward and backward from the upper part of the user H's shoulder, wrapping around to the back. Specifically, the posterior tape 4 extends through the acromion towards the scapular spine. In particular, as shown in Figure 2, the posterior tape 4 has a larger width dimension W in the direction intersecting the extension direction compared to the anterior tape 3 and the pair of anchor parts 5. This makes it difficult for the posterior tape 4 to peel off the shoulder. In addition, before being attached to the user H's body, the posterior tape 4 is formed in a curved shape that is convex on the right shoulder side (opposite the neck) of the user H. This allows the posterior tape 4 to cover the entire scapula, increasing the holding power of the shoulder taping 1.

[0017] The rear tape 4 is provided with finger loops 22. These finger loops 22 are used to secure the user H's fingers when, for example, attaching the rear tape 4 to the shoulder. In this embodiment, the finger loops 22 form a ring-shaped portion when both ends of a band are attached to the rear tape 4. Note that the shape of the finger loops 22 is not limited to that of the embodiment described above.

[0018] The anchor portion 5 is connected to the base portion 2 and extends downward toward the upper arm. The anchor portion 5 is wrapped around the upper arm, passing under the armpit. In this embodiment, the anchor portion 5 has a first anchor portion 31 and a second anchor portion 32. The first anchor portion 31 is connected to the base portion 2 and is wrapped around the upper arm from the front of the upper body toward the armpit. The second anchor portion 32 is connected to the base portion 2 and is wrapped around the upper arm from the rear of the upper body toward the armpit. At the armpit, the tip portion 31a of the first anchor portion 31 and the tip portion 32a of the second anchor portion 32 are attached so that they overlap each other (see Figure 1). This wraps the anchor portion 5 around the upper arm.

[0019] As shown in Figure 1, when the shoulder taping 1 is attached to the user H's shoulder, the trajectory from the rear tape 4 to the first anchor portion 31 and the trajectory from the front tape 3 to the second anchor portion 32 intersect at the intersection point P located in the center of the base portion 2. Therefore, when the shoulder taping 1 is attached to the user H's shoulder, it is wrapped around the user H's shoulder and upper arm in a figure-eight shape, intersecting on the front of the upper body, centered around the rotator cuff interval.

[0020] As shown in Figure 2, the dimensions of each part of the shoulder taping 1 are set as follows before it is applied to the shoulder of user H. Note that the following dimensional values ​​are examples and can be changed as appropriate according to the physique of user H. In this embodiment, the diameter D of the base 2 is set to 7 cm, the length L1 of the front tape 3 is set to 5 cm, the length L2 of the rear tape 4 is set to 15 cm, the width W of the rear tape 4 is set to 6 cm, the curvature angle θ1 of the rear tape 4 is set to 30°, the lengths L3 and L4 of the first anchor part 31 and the second anchor part 32 are set to 20 cm, the curvature angles θ3 and θ4 of the first anchor part 31 and the second anchor part 32 are set to 45°, and the angle α made by the first anchor part 31 and the second anchor part 32 at the connection part with the base 2 is set to 70°.

[0021] An example of the procedure for applying the shoulder taping 1 according to this embodiment, configured as described above, to the shoulder, and its effects during use will now be explained. First, the user H applies the base 2 so that the center of the base 2 (or the marked portion 11) is located on the humeral head. At this time, for example, the user H applies the base 2 to the shoulder so that it covers the humeral head by placing the base 2 in the palm of the hand opposite to the shoulder to which the shoulder taping 1 is applied (the left hand in this embodiment shown in Figure 1) and pressing down on the right shoulder with the left hand.

[0022] Next, with user H slightly bent forward and their upper arm hanging down, the posterior tape 4 is applied towards the scapular spine via the acromion while lightly pulling it. Then, the anterior tape 3 is applied towards the coracoid process while lightly pulling it. Finally, the first anchor portion 31 and the second anchor portion 32 are applied by wrapping them around the upper arm. This completes the application of the shoulder taping 1. Note that the procedure for applying the shoulder taping 1 is not limited to the order described above. As another example of the application procedure, after applying the base portion 2, the first anchor portion 31 and the second anchor portion 32 may be applied by wrapping them around the upper arm first. Then, the anterior tape 3 is applied towards the coracoid process while lightly pulling it. Finally, the posterior tape 4 is applied towards the scapular spine via the acromion while lightly pulling it. The shoulder taping 1 may also be applied using the procedure described above.

[0023] According to the shoulder taping 1 of this embodiment, the shoulder taping 1 has a base portion 2 that covers the humeral head from the front, an anterior tape 3 that extends toward the coracoid process, a posterior tape 4 that passes through the acromion and extends toward the scapular spine, and an anchor portion 5 that passes through the armpit and is wrapped around the upper arm. The tension generated in the base portion 2 when the anterior tape 3, posterior tape 4 and anchor portion 5 are stretched and applied acts to bring the upper arm closer to the trunk, pressing the humeral head against the glenoid cavity and preventing it from moving away from the glenoid cavity. This suppresses displacement of the humeral head in the anterior-posterior direction. The anchor portion 5 assists in the raising of the upper arm by passing through the armpit and wrapping around the upper arm. Furthermore, the posterior tape 4 that is applied from the base portion 2 through the acromion toward the scapular spine suppresses deviation of the center of the humeral head relative to the acromion and stabilizes the position of the humeral head in the vertical direction. This action is particularly effective when raising the upper arm from the front, side, or back (forward elevation, side elevation, and backward elevation). In addition, since the posterior tape 4 and anchor portion 5 are attached in a continuous vertical direction with the base 2 in between, a backward force acts on the upper arm and shoulder, making it easier to stabilize the position of the humeral head. Furthermore, since the anterior tape 3 and anchor portion 5 are attached in a continuous horizontal (and anterior-posterior) direction with the base 2 in between, displacement of the humeral head can be further suppressed. Due to these actions, in the upper arm to which the shoulder taping 1 is attached, the position of the humeral head, which is the center of rotation in each direction such as adduction and abduction, forward elevation, side elevation, and backward elevation, is stabilized by the various parts (anterior tape 3, posterior tape 4, and anchor portion 5) attached radially around the base 2. As a result, the user H can smoothly perform various movements involving rotation of the shoulder joint in daily life and during exercise, and pain and instability caused by displacement of the center of rotation can be significantly suppressed. Furthermore, since shoulder taping 1 continuously applies tension even during shoulder joint movement, the occurrence of rotational center displacement is constantly suppressed during movement. On the other hand, since shoulder taping 1 does not contain any rigid material that covers the shoulder, joint movement is not hindered by physical interference. Therefore, by applying shoulder taping 1 to the shoulder, instability around the shoulder joint can be reduced, and associated pain and discomfort can also be suppressed.Furthermore, since the movement of the upper arm is hardly restricted while wearing it, and large movements such as throwing are possible, it can be made more convenient compared to conventional shoulder braces that are based on the premise of holding the shoulder still. Also, when applying the shoulder taping 1 to the body, the user H first applies the base 2 to the humeral head, and then applies the anterior tape 3, posterior tape 4, and anchor part 5 while stretching them in the extension direction, using the base 2 as a reference, thereby applying the taping to the desired body part. Therefore, even an ordinary user H without knowledge of anatomy or orthopedics can easily and reliably apply the shoulder taping 1 to the desired body part, and alleviate pain and instability in and around the shoulder joint. Thus, it is possible to provide shoulder taping 1 that can be easily applied to the shoulder to obtain the desired effect even by an ordinary user without anatomical knowledge, and that can improve instability around the shoulder joint without hindering shoulder movement.

[0024] The anchor portion 5 has a first anchor portion 31 that is wrapped around the upper arm from the base 2, passing over the front of the shoulder, and a second anchor portion 32 that is wrapped around the upper arm from the base 2, passing over the back of the shoulder. The first anchor portion 31a and the second anchor portion 32a are attached to the armpit so that they overlap each other, thereby wrapping the anchor portion 5 around the upper arm. This makes it easier to wrap the anchor portion 5 around the upper arm.

[0025] The trajectory from the posterior tape 4 to the first anchor portion 31 and the trajectory from the anterior tape 3 to the second anchor portion 32 intersect at the center of the base portion 2. As a result, the position of the humeral head, which is the center of rotation in each direction such as adduction and abduction, and elevation forward, laterally, and posteriorly, is stabilized in the two directions where they intersect at the center of the base portion 2. Consequently, the user H can smoothly perform various movements involving rotation of the shoulder joint, and pain and instability caused by misalignment of the center of rotation can be effectively suppressed.

[0026] The posterior tape 4 is provided with finger loops 22. This allows the user H to attach the posterior tape 4 while engaging their fingers in the finger loops 22, making it easier to wrap the posterior tape 4 around to the back of the shoulder. Furthermore, if the finger loops 22 are positioned so that the base 2 is in the palm of the user H when their fingers are engaged in the finger loops 22, the base 2 can be attached by pressing down on the shoulder with the palm. This makes it easier to position the base 2 and allows the humeral head to be pressed more securely against the glenoid cavity. As a result, attachment to the shoulder is made easier, and instability around the shoulder joint can be improved.

[0027] Near the center of the base 2, a mark 11 is provided at a position corresponding to the rotator cuff interval. This allows the user H to attach the base 2 using the rotator cuff interval, which is relatively easy to locate, as a guide. Thus, the shoulder taping 1 can be applied more easily and reliably around the humeral head, relieving pain and instability in and around the shoulder joint.

[0028] (Second Embodiment) A second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 3. Figure 3 is a front view of the shoulder taping 201 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In the following description, components that are common to those already described will be denoted by the same reference numerals and redundant descriptions will be omitted. The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment described above in that only one anchor portion 205 is provided.

[0029] In the second embodiment, the shoulder taping 201 comprises a base portion 2, a front tape 3, a rear tape 4, and an anchor portion 205. The configurations of the base portion 2, the front tape 3, and the rear tape 4 are the same as in the first embodiment, so their description is omitted. The anchor portion 205 is connected at one end to the base portion 2 and is formed to a length that can wrap around the upper arm once. In other words, the anchor portion 205 of the second embodiment has a shape that is an extension of the length of the second anchor portion 32 in the first embodiment. The anchor portion 205 is wrapped around the upper arm by being wrapped from the back side of the upper body, through the armpit, and towards the front. When the shoulder taping 201 is attached to the shoulder of the user H, the anchor portion 205 is wrapped around the upper arm, and the tip portion 205a of the other end of the anchor portion 205 is attached so as to overlap toward the center of the base portion 2.

[0030] The shoulder taping 201 of the second embodiment can achieve the same effects as the first embodiment described above. Therefore, the versatility of the shoulder taping 201 can be increased. The anchor portion 205 may be formed in a shape that extends the length of the first anchor portion 31 in the first embodiment. In this case, the anchor portion 205 may be wrapped around the upper arm by being wrapped from the front of the upper body, through the armpit, and to the rear.

[0031] (Third Embodiment) A third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 4 and 5. Figure 4 is a diagram showing the shoulder taping 301 according to the third embodiment of the present invention in a state in which it is attached to the user H. Figure 5 is a front view of the shoulder taping 301 according to the third embodiment. The third embodiment differs from the first embodiment described above in that two rear tapes are provided.

[0032] In the third embodiment, the shoulder taping 301 comprises a base 2, a front tape 3, a first rear tape 341, a second rear tape 342, and an anchor portion 5. The configurations of the base 2, the front tape 3, and the anchor portion 5 are the same as in the first embodiment, so their description is omitted. The first rear tape 341 is connected to the base 2 and extends through the acromion of the user H toward the scapular spine. The second rear tape 342 is connected to the base 2 and extends toward the dorsal side, passing near the boundary between the shoulder and upper arm of the user H.

[0033] The shoulder taping 301 of the third embodiment can achieve the same effects as the first embodiment described above. Therefore, the versatility of the shoulder taping 301 can be increased. In addition, since it can effectively support the shoulder area, it can effectively alleviate pain and instability in and around the shoulder joint.

[0034] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. It is possible to change the combination of components, make various modifications to each component, or delete components, without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0035] For example, in each of the embodiments described above, the marking portion 11 and the finger-through portion 22 may be omitted. However, the configuration of this embodiment, in which the marking portion 11 and the finger-through portion 22 are provided, has the advantage of making application to the shoulder easier. Also, the finger-through portion 22 may be provided on tape portions other than the rear tape 4 (for example, the front tape 3 or the anchor portion 5). Numbers or symbols indicating the application procedure of the shoulder taping 1, 201, 301 may be separately provided on each tape portion (base portion 2, front tape 3, rear tape 4, and anchor portion 5). The front tape 3, rear tape 4, and anchor portion 5 may each be composed of multiple parts. For example, in each of the embodiments described above, a configuration in which the rear tape 4 or anchor portion 5 is formed by two tapes has been described, but this is not the case. For example, the rear tape 4 and anchor portion 5 may be formed by three or more tapes. Also, for example, the front tape 3 may be formed by multiple tapes.

[0036] The shoulder tapings 1,201,301 according to the present invention are expected to be applicable to a very wide range of people. For example, in sports, not only can they be used for throwing-related shoulder injuries as described above, but they can also be widely used as a support that can be worn during practice, etc., when pain or instability occurs in the shoulder joint and surrounding areas in various ball games and other sports. Furthermore, they can also be worn by athletes who do not have pain for the purpose of injury prevention, from the perspective of reducing the burden on the shoulder.

[0037] Furthermore, beyond sports, it is expected that patients with shoulder joint disorders can wear it to assist with arm-raising movements, and patients with rotator cuff tears can wear it to support the function of the torn rotator cuff, stabilizing the position and rotation axis of the humeral head. In addition, it is expected to reduce the burden on the shoulders during light daily work and contribute to the alleviation of chronic symptoms such as headache, neck pain, shoulder stiffness, and lower back pain through its posture-correcting effect.

[0038] 1, 201, 301 Shoulder taping 2 Base 3 Front tape 4 Rear tape 5 Anchor section 11 Marked section 22 Finger loop 31 First anchor section 31a Tip (of the first anchor section) 32 Second anchor section 32a Tip (of the second anchor section) H User

Claims

1. Shoulder taping to be applied to the upper body of a user, including the shoulder, comprising: a base attached to the upper body so as to cover the humeral head from the front; an anterior tape connected to the base and extending toward the coracoid process; a posterior tape connected to the base and extending toward the scapular spine through the acromion; and an anchor portion connected to the base and wrapped around the upper arm through the armpit.

2. The shoulder taping according to claim 1, wherein the anchor portion comprises: a first anchor portion connected to the base and wrapped around the upper arm from the front of the upper body toward the armpit; and a second anchor portion connected to the base and wrapped around the upper arm from the rear of the upper body toward the armpit, and the tip of the first anchor portion and the tip of the second anchor portion overlap each other when wrapped around the upper arm.

3. The shoulder taping according to claim 2, wherein the trajectory from the rear tape to the first anchor portion and the trajectory from the front tape to the second anchor portion intersect at the central portion of the base.

4. The shoulder taping according to claim 1, wherein the rear tape has a finger-pass portion for securing the user's fingers when the rear tape is applied.

5. The shoulder taping according to claim 1, wherein a mark is provided near the central part of the base at a position corresponding to the rotator cuff gap.

6. The shoulder taping according to claim 1, wherein only one anchor portion is provided, and the anchor portion is formed to a length that can wrap around the upper arm once.

7. The shoulder taping according to claim 1, wherein the posterior tape comprises a first posterior tape extending through the user's acromion toward the scapular spine, and a second posterior tape extending toward the dorsal side toward the boundary between the user's shoulder and upper arm.

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