Adjustable Compression Garment for Self-Care Limb Sizing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing compression bandages for lymphedema treatment are time-consuming, require skilled clinicians, lack self-care capabilities, and are uncomfortable, while alternative garments are costly and difficult to resize for changing limb dimensions.
Innovation Solution
A compression garment with adjustable bands and a spine portion that can be positioned and trimmed to fit various limb sizes, featuring a heel cup and compression measuring system for customizable fit and therapeutic compression.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If inelastic compression bandages are used for lymphedema treatment, then edema reduction effectiveness is improved, but application time consumption increases and requires skilled clinicians
Solution Approach 1:
The compression garment is divided into modular components including a body portion, spine portion, and multiple adjustable bands that can be independently positioned and secured. This segmentation allows for quicker application compared to traditional bandaging while maintaining compression effectiveness through the distributed band structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The garment incorporates dynamic adjustment capabilities through movable bands with detachable fasteners that can be repositioned along the bands. This allows the compression level and fit to be adjusted as the limb size changes during treatment, eliminating the need for complete reapplication and reducing overall treatment time.
2Reliability
If inelastic compression bandages are used for lymphedema treatment, then edema reduction effectiveness is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to requiring skilled clinicians
Solution Approach 1:
The garment is designed for patient self-application and self-adjustment. The modular design with clear band positioning systems and detachable fasteners enables patients to independently manage their own treatment without requiring skilled clinician assistance, thereby improving ease of operation while maintaining therapeutic effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The bands are pre-positioned and configured during manufacturing with indicia markers to guide proper placement. This preliminary preparation simplifies the application process for patients, making it accessible to those without specialized training while ensuring consistent, effective compression delivery.
3Reliability
If inelastic compression bandages are used for lymphedema treatment, then compression therapy is provided, but comfort and hygiene are negatively impacted reducing compliance
Solution Approach 1:
The garment utilizes flexible, breathable fabric materials for the body and spine portions that conform to the limb contours while allowing skin respiration. This flexible construction improves comfort compared to rigid bandages and facilitates better hygiene by allowing the garment to be removed and washed, thereby improving patient compliance.
4Quantity of substance
If wrap type garments are used to maintain limb size after intensive treatment, then cost is reduced, but adaptability to limb size changes deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The bands incorporate movable fasteners that can be repositioned along the length of the bands as the limb size changes during and after treatment. This dynamic adjustment capability allows a single garment to adapt to varying limb dimensions over time, maintaining both cost-effectiveness and adaptability that would otherwise require multiple garment sizes.
Solution Approach 2:
The garment is designed as a universal solution that can serve multiple phases of treatment. The adjustable bands and modular construction allow the same garment to function during intensive treatment and continue to be useful for maintenance phase, providing multi-functionality that reduces the need for separate garments for different treatment stages.
5Adaptability or versatility
If wrap type garments with sizing adjustments are used, then fit can be modified, but complexity and time consumption for adjustments increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sizing adjustment system is segmented into discrete, independently adjustable bands rather than a complex overall resizing mechanism. Each band can be adjusted separately with simple detachable fasteners, reducing the overall complexity while maintaining comprehensive sizing adaptability across different limb dimensions.
Data Source
AI summary
A compression garment for a limb is disclosed. The garment can include a body portion and a spine portion. Each of the body and spine portions can have a plurality of bands (e.g. bands for adjusting tension of the garment). The spine portion can be releasably attached onto the body portion such that the spine portion is positionable at different locations on the body portion to adjust a width of the garment. The bands of the body portion and/or of the spine portion can be trimmable and include a detachable fastener, whereby as a result the band can be caused to move to a plurality of different positions to adjust the garment to a plurality of different sized limbs (e.g. different sized feet).