Gird compression hip tensioning garment

Abstract

A gird compression hip tensioning garment designed to provide compressive support extending throughout the acetabulofemoral and mid-gluteal portions of a wearer's lower torso so as to help relieve pain and to help promote healing from muscular/skeletal ailments and injuries of the mid-body of a wearer. This gird compression garment is constructed of a resiliently flexible and stretchable material and includes a ligature panel extending from approximately the sacrum of the spine of the wearer to the base of the gluteus medius, and a fastening device adapted to vary the amount of compressive force exerted by the garment.

Claims

1. A gird compression hip tensioning garment, comprising: a plurality of resiliently flexible panels adapted to conform to the musculature of a wearer that is located in the acetabulofemoral region and mid-gluteal region of a wearer's body, wherein said plurality of resiliently flexible panels are made of a bi-directionally stretchable material that is more stretchable in a first direction than it is in a second, perpendicular direction; and wherein said plurality of resiliently flexible panels further comprises a plurality of rear-side panels comprising a right-side rear panel adapted to compressively gird a right-hand rear side of the wearer's body and a left-side rear panel adapted to compressively gird a left-hand rear side of the wearer's body, wherein said plurality of rear-side panels are adapted so that the more stretchable axis of said bi-directionally stretchable material is oriented parallel to a transverse plane of the wearer's body, and wherein said plurality of resiliently flexible panels further comprise a plurality of front-side panels comprising a right-side front panel adapted to compressively gird a right-hand front side of the wearer's body and a left-side front panel adapted to compressively gird a left-hand front side of the wearer's body, wherein said plurality of front-side panels are arranged so that the more stretchable axis of said bi-directionally stretchable material is oriented diagonally as compared to the more stretchable axis of the bi-directionally stretchable material of said plurality of rear-side panels; a resiliently flexible ligature panel located between the plurality of rear-side panels, said resiliently flexible ligature panel being rectangular and adapted to support the lower portion of the spine of the wearer, wherein said resiliently flexible ligature panel is arranged so that the more stretchable axis of said bi-directionally stretchable material is oriented perpendicular to the more stretchable axis of the bi-directionally stretchable material of said plurality of rear-side panels; and a fastening placket adapted to adjust the compressive force exerted by said garment on the wearer.

2. The gird compression hip tensioning garment of claim 1, wherein said plurality of resiliently flexible panels and said resiliently flexible ligature panel are made of spandex.

3. The gird compression hip tensioning garment of claim 2, wherein said right-side front panel is coupled to the right-side rear panel and the left-side front panel is coupled to said left-side rear panel through a sewn seam.

4. The gird compression hip tensioning garment of claim 1, wherein said resiliently flexible ligature panel is adapted to extend from a base of a lumbar spine to a mid-gluteal region of the wearer.

5. The gird compression hip tensioning garment of claim 1, wherein said garment further comprises a plurality of resiliently flexible anchoring garters adapted to gird quadriceps of the wearer.

6. The gird compression hip tensioning garment of claim 1, wherein at least one of said resiliently flexible panels comprises a fastening strip that is complementary to said fastening placket.

7. The gird compression hip tensioning garment of claim 1, wherein said garment further comprises a waistband.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) FIG. 1 is a front perspective of a gird compression hip tensioning garment according to the present invention; and

(2) FIG. 2 is a rear perspective of a gird compression hip tensioning garment according to the present invention;

(3) FIG. 3 is a side perspective of a gird compression hip tensioning garment according to the present invention; and

(4) FIG. 4 is a rear perspective of a gird compression hip tensioning garment according to the present invention, with the internal skeletal structure of a typical wearer visible to show the preferred positioning of the garment on a wearer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(5) FIG. 1 illustrates the front view of an exemplary embodiment of a gird compression hip tensioning garment in accordance with the present invention. The depicted garment can be adapted to be worn by both men and women of various sizes. The garment 10 of FIG. 1 comprises a front right-side panel 31, which is adapted to conform to the right-hand side of a wearer's acetabulofemoral and hip regions, and a front left-side panel 32, which is adapted to conform to the left-hand side of a wearer's acetabulofemoral region and lower torso. The garment 10 also preferably comprises a waistband 43.

(6) The garment 10 of FIG. 1 further comprises a fastening placket 21. Preferably, the fastening placket 21 is adapted to extend from one edge of the wearer's lower abdominal wall to the other edge, as shown in FIG. 1. Preferably, the fastening placket 21 is at least approximately 4 inches in length, and at least approximately 4 inches in width. The fastening placket 21 of this embodiment is further adapted to allow for the adjustment of the compressive force exerted by the garment 10 on the body of the wearer. The fastening placket 21 preferably includes a fastening strip that can be attached to one or more complementary fastening strips 22 located on a panel 31 or 32 of the garment 10. Those complementary fastening strips 22 may be integrally sewn into the panel 31 or 32. Preferably, the complementary fastening strip 22 is adapted to extend approximately the entire length of the fastening placket 21 to ensure a strong, complementary connection. More preferably, the fastening placket 21 and complementary fastening strips 22 comprise VELCRO brand hook-and-loop or touch fasteners.

(7) In a preferred embodiment, the fastening placket 21 is sewn into the garment 10, such that the lining or backing of the fastening placket 21 is exposed on the front portion of the garment 10. More preferably, the fastening placket 21 is sewn into the right-side front panel 31, such that the backing or liner of the fastening placket 21 is covered by the same resiliently flexible material as the panels 31 and 32.

(8) The garment 10, including the front panels 31 and 32, is preferably made from a resiliently flexible material that is bi-directionally stretchable. More preferably, the plurality of panels of the garment 10 are made from the same resiliently flexible, bi-directionally stretchable material. More preferably, the resiliently flexible material is more stretchable in a first direction than it is in a second, perpendicular direction. For instance, bi-directionally stretchable resiliently flexible materials that are well-suited to the present invention include spandex, polyester, or elastane that is approximately four times as stretchable in a first direction than it is a second, perpendicular direction.

(9) Preferably, the bi-directionally stretchable resiliently flexible material of front panels 31 and 32 is oriented so that the more stretchable axis of the material is diagonal with respect to the median or sagittal plane of the wearer's body. This orientation is illustrated in FIG. 1 by the parallel, striated lines that form an angle with respect to the median plane (which is parallel to the edges of the fastening placket 21). This diagonal orientation is believed to provide for superior compressive support as compared to prior art garments because it lifts and secures the acetabulofemoral musculature so as to better align and support the sacral vertebrae and associated musculature. The waistband 43 of garment 10 is also preferably made of the same bi-directionally stretchable resiliently flexible material, preferably oriented as shown in FIG. 1.

(10) FIG. 2 illustrates the rear view of an exemplary embodiment of a gird compression hip tensioning garment 10 according to the present invention for both male and female users. The garment 10 of FIG. 2 comprises a rear right-side panel 33, which is adapted to conform to the right-hand side of a wearer's acetabulofemoral and gluteal regions, and a rear left-side panel 34, which is adapted to conform to the left-hand side of a wearer's acetabulofemoral and gluteal regions.

(11) Preferably, the rear panels 33, 34 are made from the same bi-directionally stretchable material as front panels 31, 32. Preferably, the bi-directionally stretchable resiliently flexible material of rear panels 33 and 34 is oriented so that the more stretchable axis of the material is oriented parallel to the transverse or axial plane of the wearer's body. This orientation is illustrated in FIG. 2 by the parallel, striated lines that are perpendicular to the median plane of the body. This combination of this orientation for rear panels 33, 34 with the different orientation for panels 31, 32 (as described above) is believed to provide for superior compressive support as compared to prior art garments because it takes advantage of the natural curvature of the gluteal muscles to promote hip stability.

(12) The garment 10 of FIG. 2 includes a ligature panel 45. Preferably, the right and left rear panels 33 and 34, respectively, are sewn into opposite sides of the ligature panel 45. More preferably, the ligature panel 45 is rectangular, as shown in FIG. 2. The ligature panel 45 can preferably extend from approximately the sacrum of the spine to the mid-gluteal region below the tailbone or coccyx (i.e., where the gluteus medius muscles are located), as illustrated in FIG. 4. The ligature panel 45 is preferably made from the same bi-directionally stretchable resiliently flexible material as the other portions of the garment 10, e.g., spandex or elastane. The resiliently flexible material that comprises the ligature panel 45 is preferably oriented so that the more stretchable axis of the material is oriented parallel to the median or sagittal plane of the wearer's body, and along the spinal column of the wearer. This orientation is shown by the vertical striated lines depicted in the interior of the ligature panel 45 in FIG. 2. It is believed that this particular orientation and the fact that the ligature panel 45 is adapted to help secure and anchor the acetabulofemoral joints, gluteal musculature, and associated joints, can allow for better relief of pain in the hip and lower lumbar regions of a wearer through continuous support.

(13) Preferably, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the front right-side panel 31 is coupled to rear right-side panel 33 through a sewn attachment band 35. Although not shown, the same sort of sewn attachment band is preferably used to couple the front left-side panel 32 to the rear left-side panel 34. This sewn attachment band 35 is preferably made of the same bi-directionally stretchable resiliently flexible material of the plurality of panels 31, 32, 33, and 34, and is preferably oriented in the vertical direction, as illustrated by the vertical striated lines shown in FIG. 3.

(14) The garment 10 of FIGS. 1 & 2 further comprises a right-side resiliently flexible anchoring garter 41, which is adapted to conform to the right quadriceps of a wearer, and a left-side resiliently flexible anchoring garter 42, which is adapted to conform to the left quadriceps of a wearer. The right-side anchoring garter 41 is coupled to right-side panels 31 and 33, while the left-side anchoring garter 42 is coupled to the left-side panels 32 and 34. Preferably, the resiliently flexible anchoring garters 41 and 42 hold the garment 10 in place, and prevent unwanted upward drift of the garment 10 that would otherwise be caused by normal movement such as walking or sitting. More preferably, the resiliently flexible anchoring garters 41 and 42 are adapted to encircle approximately the midpoint of the wearer's quadriceps, or more preferably at a point approximately seven inches below the wearer's greater trochanter.

(15) Although the preferred embodiment of the invention has been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.