MOVEMENT RESTRAINING DEVICE

Abstract

Movement restraining device (1) for partially immobilizing a body joint (10). The device comprises stopper elements (50, 60) having an abutment surface (100) and an abutting surface (70). One stopper element is pivotable, relative to the other stopper element. The device further has skin attachment means (90, 120) for attaching the stopper elements to skin. The abutment surfaces are arranged or shaped such that, in an abutting pivot position, they prevent pivoting in a first pivot direction (150), while allowing pivoting in a second pivot direction (160), opposite to the first pivot direction.

Claims

1. Movement restraining device for partially immobilizing a body joint facilitating rotation of a body part about a joint axis, the restraining device comprising a) a first stopper element, comprising an abutment surface; b) a second stopper element, comprising an abutting surface; being arranged, in an adjacency direction, adjacent to the first stopper element; being pivotable, relative to the first stopper element, about a virtual pivot axis; and c) skin attachment means for attaching the first and the second stopper element to skin at the body joint to be partially immobilized; wherein the second stopper element can be pivoted into an abutting pivot position, in which position the abutting surface is in surface contact with the abutment surface, the surface contact preventing pivoting in a first pivot direction, while allowing pivoting in a second pivot direction, opposite to the first pivot direction.

2. Movement restraining device according to claim 1, wherein the first stopper element and/or the second stopper element has the shape of a parallelepiped.

3. Movement restraining device according to claim 1, wherein the first stopper element and the second stopper element have identical outer shapes.

4. Movement restraining device according to claim 1, wherein the first stopper element comprises a first skin-facing surface, wherein the second stopper element comprises a second skin-facing surface, and wherein the skin attachment means is adapted for attaching the first and the second stopper element to skin in a way, that the first and the second skin-facing surfaces are oriented towards the skin.

5. Movement restraining device according to claim 4, wherein the abutment surface is flat and is oriented perpendicularly to the first skin-facing surface.

6. Movement restraining device according to claim 4, wherein the abutment surface is flat, and wherein the surface normal of the abutment surface is oriented at an angle of between 60 and 120 with respect to the surface normal of the first skin-facing surface.

7. Movement restraining device according to claim 4, wherein the abutment surface is flat and is oriented parallel to the first skin-facing surface.

8. Movement restraining device according to claim 4, wherein the pivot axis is oriented parallel to the first skin-facing surface.

9. Movement restraining device according to claim 4, wherein the pivot axis is oriented perpendicular to the first skin-facing surface.

10. Movement restraining device according to claim 1, wherein the skin attachment means comprises a layer of adhesive and a carrier tape having two opposed major surfaces, and wherein the layer of adhesive is arranged on one of the major surfaces of the carrier tape.

11. Movement restraining device according to claim 1, wherein the first stopper element and the second stopper element are attached to each other by the skin attachment means.

12. Movement restraining device according to claim 1, comprising one or more further stopper elements, each comprising an abutment surface, and an abutting surface, each of the further stopper elements being arranged, in an adjacency direction, adjacent to the first stopper element, the second stopper element or one of the further stopper elements, wherein each further stopper element is pivotable, relative to the adjacent stopper element, about a virtual pivot axis, wherein the movement restraining device further comprises skin attachment means for attaching the further stopper elements to skin at the body joint to be partially immobilized; and wherein the abutment surface of each further stopper element is arranged and/or shaped such that, in an abutting pivot position, the abutment surface of the further stopper element is in contact with the abutting surface of the adjacent stopper element, thereby preventing pivoting in a first pivot direction, while allowing pivoting in a second pivot direction, opposite to the first pivot direction.

13. Restraining device according to claim 1, wherein the first stopper element or the second stopper element or a further stopper element comprises a tube organizer for routing and/or fixation of catheter tubes or lumen.

14. Movement restraining device according to claim 1, further comprising a first electrical contact element and a second electrical contact element, at least one of which is connectable to an indicator device for providing a visual, audible or electronic indication when the contact elements are in electrical contact with each other, wherein the first contact element can be brought into electrical contact with the second contact element by pivoting the second stopper element into the abutting pivot position.

15. Movement restraining device according to claim 1, wherein the first stopper element and the second stopper element are engaged with each other such as to form a hinge, by which hinge the second stopper element is pivotable relative to the first stopper element about the virtual pivot axis, wherein the hinge comprises a snap mechanism, a snap-fit mechanism, or a click-into-place mechanism defining a storage pivot position.

16. Combination of a first movement restraining device and an adjacent second movement restraining device according to claim 10, wherein the carrier tape of the first movement restraining device and the carrier tape of the second movement restraining device are attached to each other such as to form a single common carrier tape.

17. Combination according to claim 16, wherein the single common carrier tape comprises a weak area, arranged between the first movement restraining device and the second movement restraining device, for allowing manual separation of the first movement restraining device from the second movement restraining device.

18. Combination according to claim 16, wherein the single common carrier tape is arranged as a roll.

19. Method of partially immobilizing a body joint facilitating rotation of a body part about a body joint axis, the method comprising the steps of a) providing a movement restraining device according to claim 1; and b) attaching the first stopper element and the second stopper element to skin at the body joint such that the pivot axis is oriented parallel to the body joint axis.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0082] The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the following Figures exemplifying particular embodiments of the invention. Certain dimensions may be shown exaggerated for greater clarity.

[0083] FIG. 1 Side view of a first movement restraining device according to the invention;

[0084] FIG. 2 Side view of the first movement restraining device in an abutting pivot position;

[0085] FIG. 3 Perspective view of a second movement restraining device according to the invention, comprising a carrier tape;

[0086] FIG. 4 Perspective view of a third movement restraining device according to the invention, applied to a human wrist, in a non-abutting pivot position;

[0087] FIG. 5 Perspective view of the third movement restraining device in an abutting pivot position;

[0088] FIG. 6 Perspective view of a fourth movement restraining device according to the invention, with an extended carrier tape;

[0089] FIG. 7 Side view of a fifth movement restraining device according to the invention, having step-shaped stopper elements, in a non-abutting pivot position;

[0090] FIG. 8 Side view of a the fifth movement restraining device in an abutting pivot position;

[0091] FIG. 9 Side view of a sixth movement restraining device according to the invention, having L-shaped stopper elements, in a non-abutting pivot position;

[0092] FIG. 10 Side view of the sixth movement restraining device in an abutting pivot position;

[0093] FIG. 11 Side view of a seventh movement restraining device according to the invention, in a non-abutting pivot position;

[0094] FIG. 12 Side view of the seventh movement restraining device, in an abutting pivot position;

[0095] FIG. 13 Perspective view of a first and a second stopper element usable for a movement restraining device according to the invention;

[0096] FIG. 14 Perspective view of an eighth movement restraining device according to the invention, comprising the stopper elements shown in FIG. 13, in an abutting pivot position;

[0097] FIG. 15 Perspective view of a stopper element usable for a movement restraining device according to the invention;

[0098] FIG. 16 Perspective view of three further stopper elements (A, B and C) usable for movement restraining devices according to the invention, and

[0099] FIG. 17 Top view of three movement restraining devices according to the invention, their carrier tapes forming a single common carrier tape.

[0100] Herein below various embodiments of the present invention are described and shown in the drawings wherein like elements are provided with the same reference numbers.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0101] FIG. 1 is an idealized side view of a first movement restraining device 1, attached to skin at a body joint 10 of a human patient. The body joint 10 facilitates rotation of a first body part 20, relative to a second body part 30, about a joint axis 40, which is oriented perpendicularly to the plane of the drawing.

[0102] The movement restraining device 1 comprises a first stopper element 50 and a second stopper element 60. Both stopper elements 50, 60 have identical outer shapes, namely the shape of a brick, of which a side surface is visible in the Figure. The first stopper element 50 comprises a flat abutment surface 70 and a first skin-facing surface 80. The abutment surface 70 is oriented perpendicularly to the first skin-facing surface 80, and in the plane of the drawing their surface normals form an angle of 90 relative to each other. The first stopper element 50 is attached to the skin via a first adhesive layer 90, which is arranged on the first skin-facing surface 80. The first adhesive layer 90 is a layer of a skin-friendly pressure-sensitive adhesive.

[0103] The second stopper element 60 comprises an abutting surface 100 and a second skin-facing surface 110. The second stopper element 60 is attached to the skin via a second adhesive layer 120, arranged on the second skin-facing surface 110. The second stopper element 60 is arranged adjacent to the first stopper element 50. The adjacency direction is indicated by arrow 130. It extends in the plane of the drawing. The adjacency direction 130 indicates a direction which points generally from the first stopper element 50 towards the second stopper element 60.

[0104] The second stopper element 60 is pivotable relative to the first stopper element 50, about a virtual pivot axis 140, which extends perpendicularly to the plane of the drawing and parallel to the first skin-facing surface 80. The virtual pivot axis 140 is perpendicular, i.e. orthogonal, to the adjacency direction 130.

[0105] In FIG. 1, the movement restraining device 1 is shown in a pivot position which is not an abutting pivot position. In the pivot position shown in FIG. 1, the first body part 20 can be freely rotated, relative to the second body part 30, about the joint axis 40 in a first pivot direction, indicated by arrow 150, i.e. clockwise, or in a second pivot direction, indicated by arrow 160, opposite to the first pivot direction 150, i.e. anti-clockwise (in the drawing). In the pivot position shown in FIG. 1, the movement of the body joint 10 is not impeded. Because the movement restraining device 1 is attached to the skin and thus pivots about the pivot axis 140 as the first body part 20 rotates about the joint axis 40, the anti-clockwise rotation of the first body part 20 is limited by the abutting surface 100 of the second stopper element 60 abutting against the abutment surface 70 of the first stopper element 50 in an abutting pivot position. This is shown in FIG. 2.

[0106] FIG. 2 is an idealized side view of the first movement restraining device 1, attached to skin at the body joint 10. The device 1 is shown in the abutting pivot position, in which the abutting surface 100 of the second stopper element 60 is in surface contact with the abutment surface 70 of the first stopper element 50.

[0107] The abutment of the abutting surface 100 against the abutment surface 70 prevents pivoting, or further pivoting, in the first pivot direction 150. Due to the device 1 being attached to skin, the movement restraining device 1 prevents rotation, i.e. further rotation, of the first body part 20 about the joint axis 40 in clockwise direction (in the drawing) beyond the position shown in FIG. 2.

[0108] This mechanism provides partial immobilization of the body joint 10. The immobilization is partial, because the first body part 20 can be rotated freely in the anti-clockwise direction, while it can rotate in a clockwise direction only up to the abutment provided by the contact of the abutment surface 70 and the abutting surface 100 in the abutting pivot position. This helps avoid overstretching of the body joint 10 beyond the almost-straight position shown in FIG. 2.

[0109] A movement restraining device according to the present disclosure may comprise more than two stopper elements 50, 60. An example of such a movement restraining device is shown in FIG. 3, in which a second movement restraining device 2 is shown in perspective view. It comprises, in addition to a first stopper element 50 and a second stopper element 60, three further stopper elements 61. Each of the stopper elements 50, 60, 61 has the shape of a cube and comprises an abutment surface 70 and an abutting surface 100, and a skin-facing surface. The skin-facing surfaces are oriented towards the bottom in the Figure, and are therefore not visible in FIG. 3). The stopper elements 50, 60, 61 are arranged adjacent to a neighbouring stopper element 50, 60, 61 in an adjacency direction 130. In other words, the stopper elements 50, 60, 61 form a chain of stopper elements, one adjacent to another in the adjacency direction 130 defined by the arrangement of the first stopper element 50 and the second stopper element 60.

[0110] Each of the stopper elements 50, 60, 61 is pivotable, relative to a neighbouring stopper element 50, 60, 61 about a virtual pivot axis 140. The pivot axes 140 are parallel to each other and extend perpendicularly to the adjacency direction 130.

[0111] The device 2 comprises skin attachment means in the form of a flexible carrier tape 170 and an adhesive layer 180. The carrier tape 170 and the adhesive layer 180 can be bent such as to allow pivoting of the stopper elements 50, 60, 61 relative to their neighbouring stopper elements 50, 60, 61. The carrier tape 170 is a continuous polymeric film. It is adhesively attached to the skin-facing surfaces of the stopper elements 50, 60, 61. The stopper elements 50, 60, 61 are thus attached to each other by the carrier tape 170. On the underside (in FIG. 3) of the carrier tape 170 the adhesive layer 180 is arranged, through which the stopper elements 50, 60, 61 of the movement restraining device 2 can be attached to the skin such that their respective skin-facing surface faces the skin.

[0112] The abutment surfaces 70 are arranged and shaped such that, in an abutting pivot position, the abutment surface 70 of a stopper element 50, 60, 61 is in contact with the abutting surface 100 of the adjacent stopper element 50, 60, 61, so that further pivoting in a first pivot direction 150 is prevented, while pivoting in the second pivot direction 160, opposite to the first pivot direction 150, is still possible.

[0113] For each pair of stopper element 50, 60, 61 and adjacent stopper element 50, 60, 61, a pivot axis 140 can be defined, about which one stopper element 50, 60, 61 can pivot relative to the adjacent stopper element 50, 60, 61. Similarly, each pair of stopper element and adjacent stopper element define, through their relative arrangement, orientation and through the shape of the abutting surface 100 and abutment surface 70, an individual abutting pivot position. Once attached to the skin at a body joint, the movement restraining device 2 limits the movement of the body joint when all pairs of adjacent stopper elements 50, 60, 61 are in their abutting pivot position.

[0114] FIGS. 4 and 5 show, in a perspective view, how a movement restraining device according to the present disclosure can be applied to a human wrist. The wrist may not bend inwards, because an inward bend (i.e. inner hand towards forearm and shoulder) may cause a catheter (not shown), inserted into the radialis artery, to kink and to block the flow of liquid or gas through it. The movement restraining device 3 of FIG. 4 comprises a first stopper element 50, a second stopper element 60, and five further stopper elements 61. Apart from the shape of the stopper elements 50, 60, 61, and the size of the carrier tape 170, the movement restraining device 3 is identical to the device 2 shown in FIG. 3.

[0115] The stopper elements 50, 60, 61 are attached to the skin at the wrist joint by a single carrier tape 170 and an adhesive layer underneath the carrier tape (not visible in FIG. 4). The carrier tape 170 and the adhesive layer extend further than the stopper elements 50, 60, 61. Thereby they provide a larger adhesive surface for attachment to the skin, which results in a more reliable attachment of the movement restraining device 3 to the skin.

[0116] The movement restraining device 3 is shown in a position, in which not all pairs of adjacent stopper elements 50, 60, 61 are in an abutting pivot position with respect to each other. The movement restraining device 3 allows movement of the wrist joint such that the upper side of the hand can be bent towards the shoulder and forearm, as is shown in FIG. 4. It prevents, however, an inward bending of the hand. This is shown in FIG. 5, where all pairs of adjacent stopper elements 50, 60, 61 are in an abutting pivot position with respect to each other. In this position, the abutment surfaces 70 and the abutting surfaces 100 of all pairs of adjacent stopper elements 50, 60, 61 are in contact with each other, and thereby prevent any further pivoting of any one of the stopper elements 50, 60, 61 in the first pivot direction, i.e. in a direction where the hand would bend inward relative to the forearm.

[0117] FIG. 6 is a sketched perspective view of a fourth movement restraining device 4. It is similar to the third movement restraining device 3, except for the number and shape of the stopper elements 50, 60, 61. The stopper elements 50, 60, 61 are shaped as parallelepipeds, i.e. deformed bricks in which not all angles are right angles. The first stopper element 50 is about twice as large as the second stopper element 60, while the further stopper elements 61 have the same size as the second stopper element 60. All stopper elements 50, 60, 61 are attached with their skin-facing surfaces (not visible in this Figure) to a flexible carrier tape 170. The flexible carrier tape 170 and the adhesive layer 180 on its underside extend beyond the skin-facing surfaces of the stopper elements 50, 60, 61. The movement restraining device is shown in a position, in which all pairs of adjacent stopper elements 50, 60, 61 are in an abutting pivot position. For greater clarity, the pivot axes 140 are drawn, about which a stopper element 60, 61 can pivot relative to an adjacent stopper element 50, 60, 61.

[0118] Stopper elements of a movement restraining device according to the present invention can have different shapes and sizes. FIG. 7 is a side view of a fifth movement restraining device 5, in which the stopper elements 50, 60, 61 have a stepped shape, and a stepped cross section in a plane orthogonal to the adjacency direction 130 and orthogonal to the first skin-facing surface 80.

[0119] The first stopper element 50 comprises a first skin-facing surface 80 and a flat abutment surface 70, which is oriented parallel to the first skin-facing surface 80.

[0120] The second stopper element 60 comprises a second skin-facing surface 110 and a flat abutting surface 100. The abutting surface 100 is parallel to the second skin-facing surface 110. The second stopper element 60 is arranged adjacent to the first stopper element 50 in an adjacency direction 130, which is in the plane of the drawing. It is pivotable relative to the first stopper element 50, about a pivot axis 140 which is orthogonal to the adjacency direction 130. The pivot axis 140 extends perpendicular to the plane of the drawing.

[0121] The device 5 can be attached to skin at a body joint via a flexible carrier tape 170, to which the skin-facing surfaces 80, 110, 190 of the first stopper element 50, the second stopper element 60 and further stopper elements 61 are attached. The carrier tape 170 carries, on its skin-facing major surface, an adhesive layer 180, through which the stopper elements 50, 60, 61 can be attached to skin such that their skin-facing surfaces 80, 110, 190 are oriented towards the skin.

[0122] The second stopper element 60 and the further stopper elements 61 have outer shapes that are identical to the outer shape of the first stopper element 50. All stopper elements 50, 60, 61 comprise an abutment surface 70 and an abutting surface 100.

[0123] The carrier tape 170 is flexible enough to allow pivoting of the second stopper element 60 relative to the first stopper element 50, and generally of a stopper element 50, 60, 61 relative to a neighbouring, adjacent stopper element 50, 60, 61.

[0124] The first stopper element 50 and the second stopper element 60, and all further stopper elements 61, are attached to each other by the carrier tape 170. The carrier tape 170 provides the virtual pivot axes 140 for pivoting a stopper element 50, 60, 61 with respect to an adjacent stopper element 50, 60, 61.

[0125] In FIG. 7, the fifth movement restraining device 5 device is shown in a state in which the first stopper element 50 and the second stopper element 60 are not in an abutting pivot position. Further, none of the stopper elements 50, 60, 61 is in an abutting pivot position relative to an adjacent stopper element 50, 60, 61. In this position, pivoting of the second stopper element 60 and of any further stopper element 60, 61 in the first pivot direction 150 and in the second, opposed pivot direction 160 is not impeded.

[0126] FIG. 8 shows, in side view, the fifth movement restraining device 5 in a state, in which the second stopper element 60 is in an abutting pivot position with respect to the first stopper element 50. Further, all of the stopper elements 50, 60, 61 are in an abutting pivot position relative to an adjacent stopper element 50, 60, 61. In this position, further pivoting of the second stopper element 60 and of any further stopper element 60, 61 in the first pivot direction 150 is impossible, while pivoting in the second pivot direction 160 is not impeded.

[0127] FIG. 9 is a side view of a sixth movement restraining device 6 comprising four stopper elements 50, 60, 61, in which the stopper elements 50, 60, 61 have an L-shape, and an L-shaped cross section in a plane comprising the adjacency direction 130 and orthogonal to the first skin-facing surface 80. Except for the shape of the stopper elements 50, 60, 61, the sixth movement restraining device 6 is identical to the fifth movement restraining device 5 shown in FIGS. 7 and 8.

[0128] The shape of the first stopper element 50and the identical shapes of the second stopper element 60 and of the further stopper elements 61is chosen such that the surface normal 210 of the abutment surface 70 is oriented at an angle of about 20 with respect to the surface normal 200 of the first skin-facing surface 80.

[0129] In FIG. 9, the first stopper element 50 and the second stopper element 60 are not in an abutting pivot position.

[0130] FIG. 10 shows, in side view, the sixth movement restraining device 6 in a state, in which the second stopper element 60 is in an abutting pivot position with respect to the first stopper element 50, and in which all of the stopper elements 50, 60, 61 are in an abutting pivot position relative to an adjacent stopper element 50, 60, 61. In this position, further pivoting of the second stopper element 60 and of any further stopper element 60, 61 in the first pivot direction 150 is impossible, while pivoting in the second pivot direction 160 is not impeded.

[0131] The abutting pivot position of the second stopper element 60 is not necessarily a position where the first skin-facing surface 80 and the second skin-facing surface 110 are parallel to each other or lie in the same plane. For scenarios where it is beneficial that the body joint cannot be straightened, the abutting pivot position may be defined such that these skin facing surfaces 80, 110 are tilted with respect to each other. If the skin facing surfaces 80,110 are flat, their surface normals may then form an angle between them. For movement restraining devices that comprise further stopper elements 61 beyond the first and the second stopper elements 50, 60, it may be beneficial if the abutment surfaces 70 and the abutting surfaces 100 of all stopper elements 50, 60, 61 are arranged and shaped such that the entire device defines an abutment for the body joint, when the body joint is in a bent, non-straight rotation position. An example of such a device is shown in the following:

[0132] FIG. 11 is an idealized side view of a seventh movement restraining device 7 according to the invention. It is similar to the movement restraining devices 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 shown above, except for the shape of the stopper elements 50, 60, 61. It comprises a first stopper element 50, a second stopper element 60, and two further stopper elements 61, with their skin-facing surfaces 80, 110, 190 affixed on one major surface of a flexible carrier tape 170 carrying an adhesive layer 180 on its opposed major surface. The stopper elements 50, 60, 61 have identical shapes, namely the shape of a segment of a cylinder wall with parallel-curved outer edges. The skin-facing surfaces 80, 110, 190 are curved. The surfaces of the stopper elements 50, 60, 61 are straight, i.e. not curved, in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the drawing.

[0133] FIG. 11 shows the second stopper element 60 in a pivot position relative to the first stopper element 50 which is not an abutting pivot position. This is evident from the fact that the abutting surface 100 of the second stopper element 60 is not in contact, i.e. surface contact, with the abutment surface 70 of the first stopper element 50. Similarly, the left-hand side further stopper element 61 is in a pivot position relative to the second stopper element 60 which is not an abutting pivot position. Actually, none of the stopper elements 50, 60, 61 is in an abutting pivot position relative to an adjacent stopper element 50, 60, 61.

[0134] The abutting pivot position of the seventh movement restraining device 7 is shown in FIG. 12. The abutting surface 100 of the second stopper element 60 is in contact with the abutment surface 70 of the first stopper element 50. In fact, the entire device 7 provides an abutment for a body joint to which it may be attached, because all pairs of stopper elements 50, 60, 61 and adjacent stopper elements 50, 60, 61 are in an abutting pivot position relative to each other. This is because all abutting surfaces 100 of the stopper elements are in surface contact with the abutment surfaces 70 of the adjacent stopper elements 50, 60, 61.

[0135] The overall shape of the seventh movement restraining device 7, when all stopper elements are in an abutting pivot position relative to their adjacent stopper element 50, 60, 61, is a bent shape. As with all previously described movement restraining devices 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, this overall shape defines an abutment position for a body part rotating about a body joint, when the movement restraining device 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 is suitably attached to the body joint.

[0136] The pivot axis for the pivoting movement of the second stopper element 60 relative to the first stopper element 50 can be defined by other means than by a carrier tape 170 or by the skin to which the stopper elements are attached. This is described in the following.

[0137] FIG. 13 shows, in a perspective sketch, a first stopper element 55 and a second stopper element 65 as they may be comprised in a further movement restraining device. They are shown separately for greater clarity. They can be engaged with each other and with further stopper elements 66 (shown in FIG. 14) to form a movement restraining device. They can be engaged by inserting a protrusion 220 of the first stopper element 55 into a recess 230 of the second stopper element 65.

[0138] Both stopper elements 55, 65 have identical outer shapes, similar to the shape of a thick jigsaw puzzle piece. The first stopper element 55 comprises a flat abutment surface 75 and a first skin-facing surface 85. The abutment surface 75 is oriented perpendicularly to the first skin-facing surface 85. The first stopper element 55 can be attached to the skin via an adhesive layer (not shown), which is arranged on the first skin-facing surface 85.

[0139] The second stopper element 65 comprises an abutting surface 105 and a second skin-facing surface 115. The second stopper element 65 can be attached to the skin via a second adhesive layer (not shown), arranged on the second skin-facing surface 115. When comprised in a movement restraining device, the second stopper element 65 is arranged adjacent to the first stopper element 55. The adjacency direction is indicated by arrow 130.

[0140] The second stopper element 65 is pivotable relative to the first stopper element 55, about a virtual pivot axis 140, which extends perpendicularly to the first skin-facing surface 85. The virtual pivot axis 140 is also perpendicular, i.e. orthogonal, to the adjacency direction 130.

[0141] When the first stopper element 55 and the second stopper element 65 are engaged with each other, the second stopper element 65 can be pivoted relative to the first stopper element 55 about the pivot axis 140.

[0142] The abutting pivot position is the pivot position in which the abutment surface 75 and the abutting surface 105 are in contact with each other. In that abutting pivot position, further pivoting in a first pivot direction 150 is prevented, while pivoting in an opposed, second pivot direction 160 is possible. Due to the shape and arrangement of the stopper elements 55, 65, pivoting in the second pivot direction is possible up to a secondary abutting pivot position in which a secondary abutting surface 240 of the second stopper element 65 abuts against a secondary abutment surface 250 of the first stopper element. The arrangement and shape of the secondary abutting surface 240 and of the secondary abutment surface 250 define the secondary abutting pivot position. A movement restraining device comprising these stopper elements 55, 65 thereby provides two different abutment positions to the body part rotating about a joint axis of a body joint to which this movement restraining device is attached. These abutment positions can be pre-determined by suitably shaping and arranging the abutment surfaces 75, 250 and the abutting surfaces 105, 240.

[0143] FIG. 14 is a perspective sketch of an eighth movement restraining device 8 according to the invention, comprising the stopper elements 55, 65 shown in FIG. 13 and a further stopper element 66. The device 8 is shown with the second stopper element 65 being in the abutting pivot position relative to the first stopper element 55. A respective adhesive layer 90 is arranged on each of the skin-facing surfaces 85, 115, 190 of the stopper elements 55, 65, 66. These adhesive layers form skin attachment means for attaching the stopper elements 55, 65, 66 to skin at the body joint.

[0144] The eighth movement restraining device 8 is particularly suitable for restraining the movement of a human wrist. The device 8 can be attached, via the adhesive layers 90, to the ulna side of the wrist and to the edge, i.e. the outer side, of the hand. When the wrist bends inward, the stopper elements 55, 65, 66 pivot relative to adjacent stopper elements 55, 65, 66 with the edge of the palm. The device 8 can thus prevent inward bending of the palm beyond a certain angle.

[0145] FIG. 15 is a perspective sketch of a stopper element 52 that can be used as first stopper element, second stopper element and/or further stopper element in movement restraining devices like the first movement restraining device 1. Its outer shape is the shape of a brick, however, the stopper element 52 is hollow and a side wall is missing. This may make the stopper element 52 lighter in weight and potentially deformable to a certain degree, so that it can provide for a somehow softer abutment when in the abutting pivot position. Its skin-facing surface 80 is not visible, because it is oriented downwards (in the drawing). The vertical surface oriented towards the left (in the drawing) is the abutment surface 70. The vertical surface towards the right may serve as an abutting surface 100 for an adjacent stopper element.

[0146] FIGS. 16A, 16B and 16C are perspective sketches of three further possible shapes of stopper elements that can be used as first stopper element 50, second stopper element 60 or further stopper element 61. They are particularly useful in movement restraining devices in which a plurality of stopper elements have an identical shape, or in which all stopper elements have an identical shape. In the devices shown in FIGS. 16A, 16B and 16C, the respective skin-facing surface 80 is oriented towards the bottom (in the drawing). Stopper elements like the one shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, or the one shown in FIG. 16A, in which the abutment surface 70 is oriented parallel to the skin-facing surface 80, may result in a particularly flat and low profile of a movement restraining device.

[0147] FIG. 17 is a top view of three identical elongate movement restraining devices 3, 3 and 3 of the type shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. Their skin attachments means comprise respective carrier tapes 170, 170, and 170, each of them carrying a layer of adhesive on their underside, which is not visible in FIG. 17. The carrier tape 170 of the first movement restraining device 3, the carrier tape 170 of the adjacent second movement restraining device 3 and the carrier tape 170 of the adjacent third movement restraining device 3 are attached to each other such as to form a single common carrier tape 171. The single common carrier tape 171 comprises two weak areas 175 which are arranged between adjacent first and second movement restraining devices 3, 3 and between second and third movement restraining devices 3, 3, respectively. They extend between opposite edges of the single common carrier tape 171. The weak areas 175 consist of straight perforations. They allow for manual separation of the individual movement restraining devices 3, 3, 3 from each other, i.e. from adjacent movement restraining devices 3, 3, 3, by tearing the single common carrier tape 171 at a weak area 175.

[0148] The single common carrier tape 171 of the movement restraining devices 3, 3, 3 may be arranged as a roll, so that the movement restraining devices 3, 3, 3 may be dispensed from the roll. Preferably, the axis of the roll and the long extension of the movement restraining devices 3, 3, 3, indicated by arrow 177, are parallel to each other. Preferably, the axis of the roll and the long extension of the weak areas 175 are parallel to each other, so that the single common carrier tape 171 can follow the curvature of the roll by bending the single common carrier tape 171 at the weak areas 175.