Tapered Lower Leg Support for Heel Pressure Relief
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heel support devices for preventing and treating bedsores are bulky, uncomfortable, and limit mobility, leading to low patient compliance due to their bulkiness and difficulty in ambulation, which increases the risk of falling and makes it challenging to inspect or change ulcer dressings without removing the device.
Innovation Solution
A lower leg support apparatus with tapered sidewalls and varying thicknesses that floats the heel, allowing for mobility and ambulation without repositioning, featuring a sleeve design that can be easily applied and adjusted, with a cushion that minimizes bulk and depth while providing comfort and support, and is washable with a rubberized band for stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If existing heel support devices are used to prevent and treat bedsores, then heel pressure relief is achieved, but the devices are bulky and limit patient mobility
Solution Approach 1:
The support device is divided into distinct functional segments: a heel support portion with a recess for heel placement, and a calf support portion with tapered sidewalls. This segmentation allows each portion to be optimized independently - the heel portion for pressure relief and the calf portion for stability without bulk
Solution Approach 2:
The device transitions from traditional bulky three-dimensional heel elevators to a flattened, two-dimensional profile design. The support surfaces are arranged in substantially the same horizontal plane, eliminating vertical bulk while maintaining pressure relief functionality through strategic placement of support elevations
2Reliability
If existing heel support devices are used, then pressure relief is provided, but the devices are difficult to apply and adjust
Solution Approach 1:
The device incorporates a flexible sleeve that can be easily stretched over the patient's lower leg and adjusted to the correct position. This flexible construction eliminates complex fastening mechanisms while ensuring secure fit and easy application by healthcare providers
Solution Approach 2:
The tapered sidewalls of the calf support portion are designed to naturally conform to the patient's leg shape, providing automatic adjustment and stabilization without requiring precise positioning or additional adjustment mechanisms
3Reliability
If existing heel support devices are used, then bedsores are prevented, but the devices increase fall risk and require removal for dressing changes
Solution Approach 1:
The device serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides heel pressure relief for bedsore prevention, acts as a stable support during ambulation, and allows easy access for dressing changes. The open design with separated heel and calf support portions enables caregivers to access the heel area without removing the entire device
Data Source
AI summary
Lower leg support apparatuses can include: a member extending from a first end to a second end; opposing sidewalls of the member extending from a floor of the member above a base of the member; the sidewalls being tapered to be thicker about the first end in at least one cross section and thinner about the second end in at least another cross section; and the floor defining at least three levels of thickness in relation to the base, each of the three levels being different from any of the other levels. Methods for supporting a lower leg can include: embracing a lower leg with a support member extending between above the ankle to the mid-calf; the member providing tapered sidewalls that engage the length of the supported lower leg; and the member providing discrete support elevations that embrace the Achilles tendon, the lower leg, and the mid-calf.