ORTHOTIC DEVICE AND METHOD OF MAKING AN ORTHOTIC DEVICE

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide sportswear usable even during practice or games, having no problem of difficulty in attachment, relating to a garment, in particular, correcting the posture of the upper half body of a wearer, and particularly used when playing golf. SOLUTION: The sportswear is a stretchable garment having a face part, a back part, right and left shoulder parts, right and left sleeve parts, and a collar part, wherein an elastic string is attached to the upper part of the back part of the garment in a crossing fashion.

Claims

1-14. (canceled)

2. An orthotic device, comprising: a torso section fabricated from a first material for conforming to at least a portion of a wearer's torso, the torso section having a first shoulder portion on a first side of the torso section and a second shoulder portion on a second side of the torso section; an arm section attached to the first side of the torso section adjacent to the first shoulder portion for encapsulating a first shoulder of a wearer; and a reinforcement for applying a compressive force to the first shoulder of the wearer, the reinforcement comprising a resilient material attached to the torso section and extending from a first end located on a front or rear portion of the torso section, over the first shoulder portion, downward and beneath an armpit portion of the first side of the torso section, and diagonally downwards across the front or rear portion of the torso section to a second end located at a hip portion on the second side of the torso section, wherein there is no arm section extending from the second side of the torso section.

3. An orthotic device according to claim 2, wherein the second shoulder portion comprises an adjustably fastenable flap for accommodating the position of a wearer's second shoulder after the device is donned.

4. An orthotic device according to claim 2, wherein the first material forming the torso section is a lightweight resilient material that can conform to the wearer's body without giving rise to lines of tension or compression in any specific direction, and preferably the reinforcement comprises a different resilient material.

5. An orthotic device according to claim 2, wherein the reinforcement comprises sections of a resilient material capable of providing a constant force to urge the wearer's torso in a specific direction, the sections of the resilient material being applied to the torso section in the form of panels or strips of material.

6. An orthotic device according to claim 2, further comprising: a second reinforcement for applying a force to the wearer's torso to urge a portion of the wearer's spine in a lateral direction, the second reinforcement comprising resilient material attached to the torso section and extending diagonally across a front portion, and/or a rear portion, of the torso section between a first attachment point at a first side of the torso section and a second attachment point at a second side of the torso section, wherein the first attachment point is locally indented into the first side of the torso section, and/or the second attachment point is locally indented into the second side of the torso section, such that the resilient material attached to the torso section is stretched when the orthotic device is donned by the wearer, thereby applying the force to the wearer's torso.

Description

SPECIFIC EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0045] A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the figures, in which;

[0046] FIG. 1 illustrates a frontal view of an orthotic device according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0047] FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration showing the indent in the embodiment as illustrated in FIG. 1;

[0048] FIG. 3 illustrates front and rear views of a wearer of an orthotic device according to an embodiment of the invention and illustrates the position of translational reinforcement panels; and

[0049] FIG. 4 illustrates front and rear views of a wearer of an orthotic device according to an embodiment of the invention and illustrates the position of spinal de-rotational reinforcement panels.

[0050] FIG. 1 illustrates an orthotic body-suit 10 for the treatment of scoliosis. The frontal view of the suit is illustrated. The body-suit 10 is an orthotic device and comprises a torso section 20 for covering a wearer's torso and pelvis, and leg sections 31, 32 that extend down an upper portion of a wearer's right and left leg respectively. The torso section 20 and the leg sections 31, 32 are formed from an elastomeric material having a composition of 51% polyamide, 17% cotton and 32% Dorlastan®. This material is a lightweight, breathable, elastomeric fabric and is suitable for forming the underlying material of the body-suit 10. Other suitable fabrics are available, for example under the trade names Spandex® or Lycra®.

[0051] The body-suit 10 has a first reinforcement panel 40 that is v-shaped when viewed from the front. This reinforcement panel may also be termed a translatory panel, as it provides a translation force to the wearer's torso. This panel extends from a first attachment point 51 on a right side of the torso section 20, where the apex of the “V” 41 is attached, to second and third attachment points 52, 53 on a left side of the torso section, where lower and upper portions of the “V” 42, 43 are attached. The first reinforcement panel 40 extends around the rear of the suit in the same way as it extends across the front of the suit. Thus, in a rear view the reinforcement panel would also appear to be v-shaped.

[0052] Effectively, the first reinforcement panel provides two bands of reinforcement. A first band encircles the torso section and extends diagonally upwards from the first attachment point 51 to the third attachment point 53, and a second band encircles the torso section and extends diagonally downwards from the first attachment point 51 to the second attachment point 52.

[0053] The first reinforcement panel 40 is formed from a resilient material having a composition of 81% polyamide and 19% Lycra®, which is an elastomeric material that offers greater resistance to deformation than the underlying elastomeric material.

[0054] The first reinforcement panel 40 is attached to the underlying resilient material of the body-suit by means of stitching. This stitching follows the edges of the panel. Thus, the first reinforcement panel 40 is not only attached to the body-suit at the designated attachment points.

[0055] It is noted that the first reinforcement need not be a single v-shaped panel as illustrated in figure one. A plurality of strips of resilient material may be attached to the torso section in order to produce lines of tension between the first attachment point and the second attachment point and between the first attachment point and the third attachment point.

[0056] The first attachment point 51 is indented into the right side 21 of the torso section 20. This

[0057] Is more clearly illustrated by FIG. 2. In FIG. 2, a dotted line 100 shows the position the right side of the torso section would take if there was no indent. This is also the line that the right side of the torso section has when the device is worn, as the wearer's body stretches the fabric forming the device and eliminates the indents. The depth of the indent may be defined as the distance between the actual position of the material at a point of attachment and the position the material would be in if there was no indent. This is shown as the distance “d” in FIG. 2.

[0058] The position of the second attachment point is determined by reference to the position of a patient's hip. The positions of the first and third attachments points are determined by reference to the patient's condition. The strength of the correctional force applied by the orthotic device may depend in part on the resilience of the reinforcement panel 40, and in part on the depth of the indent at the first attachment point 51.

[0059] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating the position of the first reinforcement panel 40 on a wearer of the suit. The position of the first attachment point 51, the second attachment point 52, and the third attachment point 53, is shown in both front and rear views. While the second attachment point 52 is preferably fixed with respect to a wearer's hip, the first and third attachment points may vary depending on the wearer's condition.

[0060] The body suit of this specific embodiment also comprises a second spinal de-rotation reinforcement panel 90. This second reinforcement panel originates at a first end 97 located at an anterior portion of the torso section adjacent to the right shoulder. The panel then extends over the shoulder and downwards beneath the right armpit of the torso section. The panel 90 then extends diagonally downwards across the front of the body-suit, to a second end 92 located at a left hip portion of the torso section. The second reinforcement panel 90 lies beneath the first reinforcement panel 40 in this embodiment.

[0061] The second reinforcement panel 90 generates a strong compressive force to the right side of the wearer's torso. The suit incorporates a pressure relief panel 95 at a left shoulder of the torso section to compensate for this pressure. The pressure relief panel 95 is an adjustable Velcro® fastened flap. When donning the suit, the pressure relief panel is the final component to be fastened.

[0062] FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration showing in front and rear views the position of the second reinforcement panel (spinal de-rotation panel) on a wearer when the suit is worn. The panel 90 can be seen to extend frond a first end 97 on an anterior portion of the wearer's shoulder, downwardly over the wearer's right shoulder blade 98 and underneath the right armpit 99. The panel 90 then extends diagonally downwards across the wearer's chest and terminates at a second end 92 located at the anterior superior iliac spine.

[0063] When the body-suit 10 is worn, the suit conforms to the wearer's body. At the first attachment point 51 the suit needs to stretch in order to eliminate the indent and conform to the wearer's body. The first reinforcement panel 40 is, therefore, stretched and elastic forces are generated between the first attachment point and the second attachment point, and between the first attachment point and the third attachment point. These forces are illustrated in FIG. 1 as double-headed arrows extending along the upper and lower portions 43, 42 of the first reinforcement panel 40. The result of the forces generated in the upper and lower portions 43,42 of the first reinforcement panel 40 panel is that a force is generated that urges the wearer's torso from right to left as indicated by arrow 110 in FIG. 1. The second reinforcement panel 90 simultaneously acts to compress the spine and prevent thoracic spine rotation.

[0064] In alternative embodiments, the suit may have an arm section, for covering a wearer's arm, on the same side as the third end of the second reinforcement panel. For example, if an arm section were attached to the suit of FIG. 1 it would be a right arm section. An arm section may act to prevent the shoulder from coming forward.

[0065] To treat a scoliosis sufferer, the first attachment point would be provided on the convex side of the scoliotic curve, so that the force provided by the panel urges the spine towards a more normal curvature. The vertical position of the first attachment point and the vertical position of the second attachment point would be determined by reference to x-rays showing the abnormal curvature of the spine.

[0066] For example, the apex of the first reinforcement panel (the first attachment point) may be vertically positioned to apply a force to the rib below the vertebral angle lower “null” point of the scoliotic curve. The pressure from the reinforcement is thus applied, via the rib, to the vertebra at the lower “null” point of the scoliotic curve. The first attachment point should not be positioned higher than this, as pressure applied incorrectly may have detrimental results for the patient.

[0067] The vertical position of the third attachment point may likewise be determined from the patient's x-rays. The third attachment point may, for example, apply pressure to the rib below the vertebral angle upper “null” point of the scoliotic curve.

[0068] The magnitude of the corrective force may be tailored by altering the depth of the indent.