ORTHOTIC FOR PELVIC STABILIZATION

Abstract

An orthotic for pelvic stabilization has a belt unit, which is provided for surrounding the pelvis, and a pull device, which is provided for tightening the belt unit. The belt unit comprises an upper belt strap (1), which surrounds an upper pelvic region, and a lower belt strap (2), which surrounds a lower pelvic region. The pull device comprises a front pull unit with a fastening device, whereby the front pull unit is disposed on a front pelvic region of the belt unit and tightens the upper and the lower belt strap in a front pelvic region by pulling. The fastening device thereby connects together the opposite ends (3, 4, 5, 6) of the upper and of the lower belt strap in the front pelvic region and fastens them under tension. The pull device further comprises a rear pull unit (8, 9), which is disposed in a middle region (7) of the straps on the upper belt strap (1) and on the lower belt strap (2) and is provided for tightening of a rear pelvic region of the belt unit. The rear pull unit is fastened under tension by a fastening unit.

Claims

1. An orthotic for pelvic stabilization, the orthotic comprising: a belt unit configured for surrounding a user's pelvis and comprising an upper belt strap (1) that surrounds an upper pelvic region, and a lower belt strap (2) that surrounds a lower pelvic region; and a pull device configured for tightening the belt unit and comprising a front pull unit with a fastening device, a rear pull unit (8, 9), and a fastening unit, wherein: the front pull unit is disposed on a front pelvic region of the belt unit and is configured for tightening the upper and the lower belt strap in a front pelvic region by pulling, the fastening device connects together a opposite ends (3, 4; 5, 6) of the upper and of the lower belt straps in the front pelvic region and fastens them under tension, the rear pull unit (8, 9) is disposed in a middle region (7) of the straps on the upper belt strap (1) and on the lower belt strap (2) and is configured for tightening of a rear pelvic region of the belt unit, and the fastening unit is configured for fastening the rear pull unit under tension.

2. The orthotic according to claim 1, wherein the rear pull unit (8, 9) is disposed in an overlapping way on the upper belt strap (1) and lower belt strap (2), so that the rear pull unit during tightening of the central belt region (7) at the same time acts upon the upper and the lower belt strap.

3. The orthotic according to claim 1, wherein the front pull unit has a first front pull means (3a, 4) on the upper belt strap (1) for a front pelvic region and a second front pull means (5a, 6) on the lower belt strap (2) likewise for a front pelvic region.

4. The orthotic according to claim 1, wherein the rear pull unit has an upper pull means, which is situated on the length of the upper belt strap (1), and a lower pull means, which is situated on the length of the lower belt strap (2), whereby the upper and the lower pull means are coupled to one another through a force redirection means (17) and are able to be actuated by means of a common pull element (19).

5. The orthotic according to claim 4, wherein a point of pulling engagement (18) of the common pull element (19), in order to conduct a pulling force into the rear pull unit (8, 9), is provided on the length of the lower belt strap (2).

6. The orthotic according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the rear pull unit or the upper and lower pull means is designed as a cord pull.

7. The orthotic according to claim 6, wherein an upper cord pull means (8) and a lower cord pull means (9) of the rear pull unit are coupled together via at least one common pull element (19).

8. The orthotic according to claim 6, wherein an upper pull cord (15, 15) for the upper cord pull means (8) is led via a force redirection guide (17) to a lower pull cord (16, 16) for the lower cord pull means (9), and the upper and the lower pull cords merge into the common pull element (19).

9. The orthotic according to claim 6, wherein a cord pull means (8, 9) has a force transmission of at least 1:4 and at most 1:10.

10. The orthotic according to claim 1, wherein a pull element (19) for actuation of the rear pull unit (8, 9) has an elastic region (21), which is stretchable in pull direction, and the pull element (19) has an indicator (22) to indicate the applied pulling force as a function of the stretching of the elastic region (21).

11. The orthotic according to claim 10, wherein at least one area of the elastic region (21) of the pull element (19) runs under a cover (20).

12. The orthotic according to claim 1, wherein provided in the middle region (7) of the belt straps are two support plates (10, 11) for support of the rear pelvic region, which extend beyond the upper belt strap (1) and the lower belt strap (2), are disposed spaced apart from one another, and are connected by means of the rear pull unit (8, 9) and are movable toward one another.

13. The orthotic according to claim 12, wherein the support plates (10, 11) are designed in a mirror-symmetrical way with respect to an axis of the belt unit, whereby the support plates (10, 11) are designed wider in a lower region on the lower belt strap (2) than in an upper region on the upper belt strap (1).

14. The orthotic according to claim 12, wherein the upper belt strap (1) and the lower belt strap (2) are non-continuous in the region between the support plates (10, 11), and each belt strap (1, 2) is connected together through an upper cord pull means (15, 15) or respectively a lower cord pull means (16, 16).

15. The orthotic according to claim 1, wherein the upper belt strap (1) and the lower belt strap (2), and, where applicable, the support plates (10, 11), are disposed in such a way that a freely accessible open space is formed at least in the front and lateral pelvic region.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0035] An advantageous embodiment of the invention will be presented in the following with reference to the drawings, which serve merely explanatory purposes and are not to be interpreted in a limiting way. Features disclosed from the drawings should be considered as belonging to the disclosure of the invention individually and in any combination. In the drawings:

[0036] FIG. 1 shows a diagrammatic view of an embodiment of an orthotic for pelvic stabilization according to the invention in an opened state,

[0037] FIG. 2 shows a diagrammatic detailed view of a rear pull unit of the embodiment from FIG. 1 in an opened state,

[0038] FIG. 3a shows the diagrammatic view of the orthotic from FIG. 1 in the opened state, and

[0039] FIG. 3b shows the diagrammatic view of the orthotic from FIGS. 1 and 3a in a tightened state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF VARIOUS EMBODIMENTS

[0040] The arrangement of the orthotic on a patient should be used as the frame of reference for describing an embodiment of the orthotic for pelvic stabilization according to the invention with the aid of FIGS. 1, 2, 3a and 3b. As already explained previously, an upper region should be closer to the head and a lower region closer to the legs. Thus the sacrum lies e.g. above the ischium. Furthermore a front region should be situated on a front side of the patient and a rear region on a rear side of the patient. Accordingly e.g. the sacrum is situated in the rear and the pubis in the front.

[0041] Shown in FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic representation of an embodiment of an orthotic for pelvic stabilization according to the invention in an opened, stretched state, in order to be able to explain more easily the individual elements of the orthotic. The orthotic comprises a belt unit with an upper belt strap 1 and a lower belt strap 2. The upper belt strap 1 and the lower belt strap 2 run substantially parallel and spaced apart with respect to one another. The lower belt strap 2, which encloses the lower pelvic region, is wider than the upper belt strap 1, which encloses the pelvis in the region of the sacrum. A front pull unit is formed by a first front pull means and a second front pull means. The first front pull means thereby comprises a loop element 3a, such as, for example, a clasp or buckle, which is fixed at one end region 3 of the upper belt strap 1, and the opposite end region 4 of the upper belt strap 1, which can be pulled through the loop element 3a in order to close the upper belt strap 1. Similarly, the second front pull means comprises a further loop element 5a, which is fixed on an end region 5 of the lower belt strap 2, and the opposite end region 6 of the lower belt strap 2, which can be pulled through the further loop element 5a, in order to close the lower belt strap 2. When putting the orthotic on a patient, e.g. the end regions 4 and 6 of the upper and lower belt straps are placed around the pelvis and are pulled through their respective loop element 3a and 5a, so that the belt straps form a loop around the pelvis, whereby the end regions of the belt straps 1, 2 lie on a front pelvic region. The upper belt strap 1 thereby preferably comes to be situated at the level of the sacrum and the lower belt strap 2 at the level of the heads of the femur and the pubis. The end regions 3 and 4 of the upper belt strap 1 thereby form together with the loop element 3a the first front pull means. Similarly the end regions 5 and 6 of the lower belt strap 2 form together with the loop element 5a the second front pull means.

[0042] The front pull unit further comprises a fastening device, in order to fasten under tension the upper and the lower belt strap 1, 2 around the pelvis. For this purpose a hook-and-loop fastener, for example, can be provided in that the end regions 4 and 6 at the end of the belt straps have a surface with barbed hooks and adjacent thereto a surface with loops. As soon as an end region 4, 6 with the hook-and-loop fastener is pulled through the respective loop element 3a, 5a, it can be folded over under tension, so that the barbed hook surface can be fixed on the loop surface.

[0043] Instead of the loop element and a hook-and-loop fastener, a snap closure or the like could also be used, for example, to form the front pull means, in which a first snap element is attached on the end region 3 or respectively 5 of the belt straps and a second snap element is attached on the opposite end region 4 or respectively 6, the snap elements being able to snap together in a detachable way to form a closure. The snap element on the end region 4 or respectively 6 has an anti-backward-slip safety device, so that this end region is able to be pulled through the snap element in one direction and held firmly, whereby in the opposite direction however a backwards slipping of the end region is blocked.

[0044] Provided in a middle region 7 of the belt straps 1 and 2 is a rear pull unit for tightening of the belt unit in the rear pelvic region. In a state of the orthotic being put on the patient, the rear pull unit is situated on the back side of the pelvis. The rear pull unit comprises an upper pull means in the form of an upper cord pull means 8 on the upper belt strap 1 and a lower pull means in the form of a lower cord pull means 9 on the lower belt strap 2. Furthermore two mirror-symmetrically-shaped support plates 10 and 11 are attached in the middle region 7. In a state of the orthotic being put on the patient, the support plate 10 is situated on the right side of the sacrum and the lumbar vertebrae, and the support plate 11 is situated on the left side. With tightening of the middle region 7 by means of the cord pull means 8 and 9, the support plates 10 and 11 are moved toward each other so that the rear pelvic region is compressed and stabilized.

[0045] Shown in detail in FIG. 2 is the middle region 7 with the rear pull unit and the support plates 10 and 11. From this figure it can be seen that the belt straps 1 and 2 are interrupted in the region between the support plates 10 and 11, and are connected by means of the cord pull means 8 and 9. The cord pull means 8 has a first cord pull bar 12 on the left support plate 11 and a second cord pull bar 12 on the right support plate 10; the two strips are fixed to the support plates transversely to the longitudinal direction of the upper belt strap 1 and along its length. Correspondingly the cord pull means 9 has two cord pull bars 13 and 13, which are both fixed to the support plates transversely to the longitudinal direction of the lower belt strap 2 and along its length. The cord pull bars 12, 12, 13 and 13 have a series of several deflection points 14, which are provided for the deflection of one or more pull cables or cords. In the embodiment of the orthotic shown, four deflection points 14 are provided. More or fewer deflection points can also be used, however, as long as a pull cord or cord can be achieved of the pulley type for the rear pull unit.

[0046] In the variant shown, two pull cords are used in a cord pull means in order to produce two adjacently situated cord pulls between the cord pull bars. In the case of the upper cord pull means 8, pull cords 15 and 15 are led between the middle deflection points 14 on the cord pull bar 12 on the cord pull means 8. The two pull cords 15 and 15 are led back and forth alternately between the deflection points 14 of the left cord pull bar 12 and the right cord pull bar 12 until a pulling force ratio 1:4 is present. The pull cord 15 thereby runs around the upper two deflection points 14 of the cord pull bars 12 and 12 and pull cord 15 around the lower two deflection points 14 of the cord pull bars 12 and 12. The pull cords 15 and 15 are led back between the middle deflection points 14 of the cord pull bar 12. By means of their guiding between the deflection points 14, the force effect with a tightening of the pull cords 15 and 15 is distributed over the entire width of the upper belt strap 1. In a comparable way, for the lower cord pull means 9, two pull cords 16 and 16 are led back and forth alternately between the deflection points 14 of the left cord pull bar 13 and the right cord pull bar 13, so that, with pulling on the pull cords 16 and 16, the force effect is distributed over the width of the lower belt strap 2. The deflection points 14 can be designed as simple curvatures on protuberances, or the like, or as rollers. The pull cords bridge the interim space between the support plates at the level of the belt straps and thereby form part of the belt straps.

[0047] The pull cords 15 and 15 enter and exit again the cord pull means 8 at least approximately centrally with respect to the width of the upper belt strap 1. Via a guide 17, the ends of the pull cords 15 and 15 are diverted from the upper belt strap 1 to the lower belt strap 2 and are guided to the point of pulling engagement 18 of the pull cords 16 and 16 of the cord pull means 9. The guide can be formed e.g. by a curved channel. The point of pulling engagement 18 of the pull cords 16 and 16 is situated at least approximately centrally with respect to the width of the belt strap 2. At this point of pulling engagement 18 all pull cords converge and can be tightened in the same direction simultaneously by pulling. From the point of pulling engagement 18 the pull cords form a joint pull element, e.g. in the form of a pull strip 19, with which the upper and the lower cord pull means 8 and 9 are able to be actuated simultaneously. A pulling force acting on the pull strip 19 thereby acts in the same pulling direction on the pull cords 16 and 16 of the lower cord pull means 9. The pulling force is however redirected, via the guide 17, by 180 to the upper cord pull means 8, so that the pulling direction on the pull cords 15 and 15 of the upper cord pull means 8 acts in the opposite direction. In summary, the force redirection makes it possible that the lower belt strap 2, through pulling on the lower pull means, is tightened in one pulling direction and the upper belt strap 1, through pulling on the upper pull means, is tightened in the opposite pulling direction. The pulling forces on the lower and upper belt strap thereby act in opposite directions, and the risk is reduced of turning the patient while tightening the rear pull unit, as could be the case with a pull in the same pulling direction.

[0048] The arrangement of the support plates 10 and 11 can also be seen from FIG. 2. The support plates 10 and 11 extend beyond the upper and the lower belt strap 1 and 2, so that the belt straps 1 and 2 are kept spaced apart from one another. The spacing is at least 5 cm; preferably the spacing is about 10 cm. The support plates 10 and 11 are shown FIGS. 2 and 3a in an opened state of the rear pull unit, in which they are disposed far away from one another. Shown in FIG. 3b is the rear pull unit in a tightened state, in which the support plates 10 and 11 are disposed less far apart from one another; in the shown position the support plates are situated almost adjacent one another, for easier understanding. As described above, the support plates 10 and 11 are connected by means of the rear pull unit, and are movable toward one another, whereby, by means of the joint pull cord, both cord pull means 8 and 9 are able to be tightened evenly and the support plates 10 and 11 move in at least approximately parallel way toward each other. The support plates 10 and 11 support, on the one hand, the belt straps in a way relative to one another, and, on the other hand, they serve the purpose of tightening of the rear pull unit for even distribution of the compressive force on the rear pelvic region.

[0049] The support plates 10 and 11 are designed mirror-symmetrical with respect to a longitudinal axis through the belt unit. In a lower region on the lower belt strap 2 the support plates 10 and 11 are designed wider than in an upper region on the upper belt strap 1. Overall the upper belt strap 1 and the lower belt strap 2 and the support plates 10 and 11 are disposed in such a way that in the front and side pelvic region a freely accessible open space is formed between the belt straps and there is as minimal as possible covering in the rear pelvic region by the support plates. The open space between the support plates 10 and 11 is also increased in that the belt straps are interrupted there and are replaced by the pull cords 15, 15 and 16, 16. The open space is important for care of the patient, as explained at the beginning.

[0050] Shown in FIG. 3a is the rear pull unit of the orthotic in a wide-open state. FIG. 3a corresponds to FIG. 1. The pull strip 19 for actuation of the cord pull means 8 and 9 is not tightened, and is situated in FIG. 3a further to the right. In contrast, the rear pull unit of the orthotic in FIG. 3b is shown in an almost closed state. The pull strip 19 is tightened, and the cord pull means 8 and 9 are tightened, whereby the pull strip 19 in FIG. 3b is situated further to the left. Basically a complete closure of the rear pull unit, so that the support plates 10 and 11 abut one another, is to be avoided, since then a further fine adjustment of the compression force of the orthotic is no longer possible. Although not shown in FIG. 3b, of course in a state in which the orthotic surrounds a patient and has been tightened for stabilization, the upper belt strap 1 and the lower belt strap 2 are closed by means of the loop elements 3a and 5a and the fastening device.

[0051] The pull strip 19 has an elastic region 21, which is stretchable in pull direction and in relaxed state lies under a cover 20. The cover 20 is fixed on the pull strip 19. A rubber band can be used in the pull strip as elastic region, for example. The pull strip 19 further comprises an indicator 22 for indication of the applied pulling force as a function of the stretching of the elastic region 21. The indicator 22 can be formed, for example, by the elastic region itself or a marking, e.g. in the form of a color strip, on the elastic region. As can be seen in FIG. 3a, the elastic region 21 lies under the cover 20, when the pull strip 19 is not tightened. Also the indicator 22 is then concealed by the cover 20. If the pull strip 19 is tightened and the pulling force exceeds a predefined force, the elastic region 21 is stretched and emerges out of the cover, so that it becomes visible. It will thereby be indicated to an aid putting the orthotic according to the invention on a patient that the predefined pulling force has been reached and with further pulling will be exceeded. In this way too forceful a tightening of the orthotic can be avoided.

[0052] Provided in order to fix the pull strip 19 in a tightened state as in FIG. 3b is a fastening unit, which fixes the pull strip 19 on the lower belt strap 2. A hook-and-loop fastener can again be used as the fastening unit, whereby e.g. a barbed hook surface on the pull strip 19 co-operates with a loop surface on the lower belt strap. Alternatively a hook or button connection could also serve as fastening unit between pull strip 19 and lower belt strap 2.

TABLE-US-00001 Reference Numerals 1 upper belt strap 2 lower belt strap 3 end region 3a loop element 4 end region 5 end region 5a loop element 6 end region 7 middle region 8 upper cord pull means 9 lower cord pull means 10 support plate 11 support plate 12, 12 cord pull bar 13, 13 cord pull bar 14 deflection point 15, 15 pull cord above 16, 16 pull cord below 17 guide 18 point of pulling engagement 19 pull strip 20 cover 21 elastic region 22 indicator