PATIENT SUPPORT

Abstract

A patient support (100), useful for the treatment of symphysis pubis dysfunction (SPD) and/or pelvic girdle pain (PGP), particularly in pregnant or postpartum women. The patient support (100) comprises a crotch section (110) adapted to bear against a patient's symphysis pubis in use. The crotch section (110) bearing against said patient's symphysis pubis may effectively relieve the discomfort and/or pain associated with SPD and/or PGP, particularly when the crotch section (110) comprises a rigid insert (700) for bearing against said patient's symphysis pubis. The use of the patient support (100) in the treatment of pelvic girdle pain and/or symphysis pubis dysfunction is also described. A rigid insert portion (700) adapted for attachment to a patient support (100) and adapted to bear against a patient's symphysis pubis in use is also described.

Claims

1. A patient support comprising a crotch section adapted to be positioned over and apply inward pressure to a patient's symphysis pubis.

2. The patient support according to claim 1, wherein the crotch section comprises a rigid portion adapted to sit against and apply said inward pressure to said patient's symphysis pubis.

3. The patient support according to claim 2, wherein the rigid portion has a curved upper surface adapted to sit against and apply said inward pressure to said patient's symphysis pubis.

4. The patient support according to claim 3, wherein the curved upper surface is ergonomically shaped to compliment said patient's symphysis pubis, suitably the curved upper surface is teardrop shaped.

5. The patient support according to any preceding claim, comprising a shoulder strap adapted to restrain and bias the crotch section against said patient's symphysis pubis.

6. The patient support according to claim 5, comprising a releasable attachment adapted to connect the shoulder strap to the crotch section.

7. The patient support according to any preceding claim, comprising a hip section adapted to wrap circumferentially around said patient's hips and compress said hips towards each other.

8. The patient support according to claim 1, comprising: a shoulder strap adapted to restrain and bias the crotch section against said patient's symphysis pubis; and a hip section adapted to wrap circumferentially around said patient's hips and compress said hips towards each other.

9. The patient support according to claim 7 or claim 8, wherein the hip section has a width of at least 5 cm.

10. The patient support according to any preceding claim, comprising a waist section adapted to wrap around said patient's waist and provide upward support for said patient's abdomen.

11. The patient support according to claim 10, comprising a hip section according to any one of claim 7, 8 or 9, wherein the waist section is linked to the hip section via a back section.

12. The patient support according to any preceding claim, comprising a lumbar section adapted to provide support to said patient's lower back.

13. The patient support according to any preceding claim formed from a single piece of material.

14. The patient support according to any preceding claim constructed from a material comprising a breathable rubber.

15. The patient support according to any preceding claim, wherein the crotch section and/or the shoulder strap and/or the hip section and/or the waist section and/or the lumbar section are adjustable to accommodate different patients and/or to optimise discomfort and/or pain relief provided by the patient support.

16. The patient support according to any preceding claim for use in the treatment of pelvic girdle pain and/or symphysis pubis dysfunction.

17. A rigid insert portion adapted to enable placement in a patient support and to enable the application of inward pressure to a patient's symphysis pubis.

18. A patient support substantially as described herein, and/or a patient support substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying Figures and/or a patient support substantially as shown in the accompanying Figures.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0096] For a better understanding of the invention, and to show how example embodiments may be carried into effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0097] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a patient support (100) according to the first aspect of the present invention fitted onto a patient (200).

[0098] FIG. 2 is a diagram of a patient's (200) pelvic bones.

[0099] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the patient support (100) of FIG. 1 in a first stage of fitting to a patient (200).

[0100] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the patient support (100) of FIG. 1 in a second stage of fitting to a patient (200).

[0101] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the patient support (100) of FIG. 1 in a third stage of fitting to a patient (200).

[0102] FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the rear of the patient support (100) of FIG. 1.

[0103] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a rigid portion (700) according to the third aspect of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

[0104] FIG. 1 shows a patient support (100) comprising a crotch section (110), shoulder straps (120), hip section (130), waist section (140) and back section (150). The patient support (100) may also comprises a lumber section (160, not shown in this view). The patient support (100) is mainly constructed from a breathable rubber coated with a fabric comprising lycra and nylon, the fabric having an unbroken loop finish. This construction makes the patient support (100) slightly elastic to allow the patient support (100) to provide the required inward pressure, through the crotch section (110), to the patient's symphysis pubis. The slightly elastic nature of the patient support (100) also improves its wearing comfort. The breathable rubber of the patient support (100) also functions to wick moisture away from the patient, again to improve the wearing comfort of the patient. Each of the crotch section (110), shoulder straps (120), hip section (130) and waist section (140) are releasably attached using a hook fastening section which can co-operate with the unbroken loop finish on the fabric coating of the patient support (100). This facilitates a patient putting on the patient support and adjusting the patient support to suit their particular body shape and size and optimise each of the inward pressures exerted by the crotch section on the patient's symphysis pubis, the hip compression exerted by the hip section (130) and the upward support exerted by the waist section (140).

[0105] The crotch section (110) is approximately 8 cm wide, the shoulder straps (120) are approximately 6 cm wide, the hip section (130) is approximately 9 cm wide and the waist section (140) is approximately 10 cm wide. The width in each case referring to the dimension across the outer surface of each part in a direction perpendicular to the loop which each part forms when the patient support (100) is fitted to a patient (200), in other words in a lateral direction. These dimensions may be varied to provide a patient support which fits a particular size of patient.

[0106] FIG. 1 shows the patient support (100) fully fitted onto a mannequin (200) representing a pregnant women patient. Crotch section (110) is partially obscured from view by the hip section (130). Shoulder straps (120) are attached to waist section (140) via a retaining loops (121) arranged on waist section (140) through which each of the shoulder straps (120) pass to form a closed loop shoulder strap between each of the mannequin's (patient's) shoulders (201) and the waist section (140) of the patient support (100). Each shoulder strap (120) is attached to itself using a hook fastening section arranged at end (122). Crotch section (110) is attached by hook fastening section onto the waist section (140) adjacent to where the shoulder straps (120) are linked to the waist section (140) through the retaining loops. The attachment of crotch section (110) to waist section (140) allows the required inward pressure to be applied to the patient's symphysis pubis in order to provide pain relief for a sufferer of SPD or PGP, for example. Hip section (130) is attached to the patient support (100) via back section (150) and fastens to itself via a hook fastening section at the front of the patient (200) in order to provide the required compression force on the hips of the patient (200) to provide the additional benefits of discomfort/pain relief and hip realignment to the sufferer of SDP or PGP. The waist section (140) is arranged underneath and in contact with the patient's abdomen (203) in order to lift and thus support the weight of the patient's developing baby, for example. Gap (141) provided between the hip section (130) and waist section (140) facilitates the movement of the legs of the patient (200) when fitted with the patient support (100), for example when walking or in the act of sitting down.

[0107] FIG. 2 shows a diagram of the patient's (200) pelvic bones and also shows the location of the symphysis pubis joint (202).

[0108] FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 show different stages of fitting the patient support (100) to a patient (200). In FIG. 3 the patient support (100) has been arranged on a patient (200) with the shoulder straps (120) placed on the shoulders (201) of patient (200) with the back section (150, not shown) arranged to contact the lower back of the patient (200). The crotch section (110) is passed between the legs of patient (200) and in contact with the patient's skin adjacent to the symphysis pubis joint, or in contact with any underwear in contact with the patient's skin adjacent to the symphysis pubis joint. The waist section (140) comprises ends (142a and 142b) of which end (142b) comprises a hook fastening section to allow attachment to end (142a) in order to wrap waist section (140) circumferentially around the patient (200) underneath and in contact with the patient's abdomen (203). This may provide relief from the additional discomfort or pain associated with the weight of the abdomen by applying upward support/lifting to the patient's abdomen.

[0109] FIG. 4 shows the patient support (100) wherein the ends (142a and 142b) of the waist section (140) have been attached to each other as described above. Crotch section (110) comprises a gusset (113) and ends (111a and 111b) both of which comprise a hook fasteneing section to allow the crotch section (110) to fasten to waist section (140) adjacent to the shoulder straps (120) attached to the waist section (140). Fastening the crotch section (110) to the waist section (140) tightly in this manner provides the required inward pressure on the symphysis pubis through the tensioning achieved by using the shoulder straps (120) and may relieve the discomfort and pain associated with SPD/PGP. A teardrop shaped rigid portion (700, see FIG. 7) may be attached to the crotch section (110) at the gusset (113) in order to increase the inward pressure applied to the symphysis pubis joint by the crotch section (110) in the patient support (100), in use.

[0110] FIG. 5 shows a patient support (100) wherein the crotch section (110) has been attached to waist section (140) using the hook fastening sections arranged on the waist section (140) and on ends (111a and 111b) of the crotch section (110). The hip section (130) comprises a hook fastening section arranged on end (131b) in order to allow the hip section (130) to be attached to itself at end (131a) when wrapped circumferentially around the hips of patient (200) to produce the inward pressure on the patient's hips which may provide the additional discomfort/pain relief discussed above. As mentioned above, the fully assembled patient support (100) fitted to patient (200) is shown in FIG. 1.

[0111] FIG. 6 shows a rear view of the patient support (100) fitted onto a patient (200). FIG. 6 shows that the hip section (130) and the waist section (140) are joined at the rear of the patient support (100), forming a back section (150) which covers substantially the whole of the buttocks and lower back of the patient (200). This arrangement of back section (150), waist section (140) and hip section (130) provides a simplicity of construction and an improved hip and/or abdomen support compared to known patient supports. FIG. 6 also shows the back strap (170) which links the shoulder straps (120) together to hold the shoulder straps (120) in the correct position for comfortable and effective wearing of the patient support (100). FIG. 6 also shows an optional lumber section (160) which may be attached to the back section (150) of the patient support (100) in order to provide support to the lower back of the patient (200) (as shown by the arrows) and thereby provide additional discomfort and/or pain relief to the patient (200).

[0112] FIG. 7 shows a teardrop shaped rigid portion (700) comprising a main rigid part (701) for bearing against and applying inward pressure to a patient's symphysis pubis joint in use, for example when fitted to a patient support such as the patient support (100) worn by the patient (200). The rigid portion (700) comprises flaps (703a and 703b) for folding over and embracing (as shown by the arrows) a crotch section such as (110) of a patient support such as (100) to retain the rigid portion (700) in place on the crotch section (110). The retaining of the rigid portion (700) may be facilitated by a hook fastening section attached to the rigid portion (700), for example on the flaps (703a and 703b), co-operating with an unbroken loop finish on the lycra coating of the patient support (100) or by using a suitable adhesive, for example. Tip (702) is intended to be arranged in a crotch section (110) of a patient support (100) pointing away from the front of the patient (200).

[0113] The patient support (100) has been tested on pregnant women patients suffering to varying degrees with SPD and/or PGP. The support (100) was found to be effective in relieving the discomfort and/or pain experienced by the pregnant women before they were fitted with the patient support (100). The relief of pain and discomfort was found to be most effective when the teardrop shape rigid portion (700) was attached to crotch section (110), as described above, and therefore worn against the symphysis pubis joint by the patient. The patients who have tested the patient support (100) have found that the often debilitating discomfort or pain caused by SPD and/or PGP they were suffering from was almost completely relieved by the patient support (100), allowing the patients to complete everyday tasks such as walking or climbing stairs with minimal difficulty or discomfort.

[0114] The example embodiments described above may therefore address the hitherto unmet medical need for relief from the pain or discomfort associated with SPD and/or PGP, allowing sufferers, for example pregnant women, to remain normally active during an occurrence of SPD and/or PGP, for example throughout a pregnancy and/or a postpartum period.

[0115] In summary, a patient support, useful for the treatment of symphysis pubis dysfunction (SPD) and/or pelvic girdle pain (PGP), particularly in pregnant or postpartum women is disclosed. The patient support comprises a crotch section adapted to bear against a patient's symphysis pubis in use. The crotch section bearing against said patient's symphysis pubis may effectively relieve the discomfort and/or pain associated with SPD and/or PGP, particularly when the crotch section comprises a rigid insert for bearing against said patient's symphysis pubis. The use of the patient support in the treatment of pelvic girdle pain and/or symphysis pubis dysfunction is also disclosed. A rigid insert portion adapted for attachment to a patient support and adapted to bear against a patient's symphysis pubis in use is also disclosed.

[0116] Although a few preferred embodiments have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications might be made without departing from the scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

[0117] Attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

[0118] All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

[0119] Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, and drawings) may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

[0120] The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.