JP2023037338A - Ankle foot orthosis - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] To provide an ankle brace that can stabilize the ankle with a simple structure. [Solution] This problem is solved by an ankle brace that has a support plate, which is a flat resin member, and a fixture that fixes the support plate to the ankle, the support plate being a member with a bending rigidity that allows it to be bent by human force without the use of tools, the support plate being bent into a U-shape along the inside and outside of the ankle and the sole of the foot, and the shape and the wearing position are maintained by the fixture. [Selected Figure] Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to orthopedic methods or devices for non-surgical treatment of bones or joints, and in particular to ankle-foot orthosis.

Patent Literatures 1 and 2 below disclose an ankle-leg brace that supports the sole of the foot and assists the walking of patients with foot drop symptoms. U.S. Pat. No. 5,400,001 discloses a brace made of a resin-impregnated laminate material that conforms to the shape of an individual patient's foot and does not restrict ankle joint motion as much as a cast.

Utility Model Registration No. 3128249 Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2007-7311 Published Patent Publication No. 8-503150

When an ankle (ankle joint) is sprained, fractured, injured in the Achilles tendon, or otherwise injured, the ankle should be rested as much as possible until the injury recovers. However, depending on the circumstances, there are times when you have no choice but to live, exercise, and work as usual. In such a situation, the affected area is sometimes taped tightly to overcome the temporary problem, but in order to perform the taping correctly, specialized knowledge and experience are required, and the original effect can be obtained even if the tape is wrapped in one's own way. It is not possible. Long-term taping may also cause blood flow obstruction. It is possible to use commercially available ankle supporters made of stretchy material, but the shoes that can be worn are limited because the thick and strong ones are bulky when wearing shoes.

In view of such problems, the problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an ankle-foot orthosis capable of stabilizing the ankle with a simple structure.

In order to solve the above problems, the ankle leg brace of the present invention has a support plate that is a flat plate member made of resin, and a fixture that fixes the support plate to the ankle, and the support plate is fixed by a tool. The supporting plate is bent into a U shape along the inner and outer sides of the ankle and the sole of the foot, and its shape and mounting position are maintained by the fixture. The main point is to drip.

By wrapping the ankle in a U-shape with a resin plate (support plate) that is hard enough to be bent by hand and fastening it to the foot with a fixture, it is possible to limit the varus and valgus movements of the foot. By supporting the ankle with a special support plate, it is possible to stabilize the ankle more firmly than tapes or commercially available ankle supporters without requiring specialized knowledge such as taping. In addition, unlike casts, it does not harden irreversibly, so it can be reapplied, adjusted, and reused after removal. Furthermore, since the pressure of tightening by the fixture is dispersed by the resin plate, it is less likely that only one part is tightened too strongly as in taping.

At this time, it is preferable that the support plate is bent in a U shape along the ankle when the support plate is worn. The support plate when not in use is a flat member. When storing or transporting the ankle-leg orthosis, the support plate may be kept flat or wound in a roll shape, and the occupied space can be smaller than that of the preformed foot-shaped orthosis.

Moreover, it is preferable that the support plate is mainly composed of low-density polyethylene. By using a soft resin plate as the support plate, it is possible to prevent the support plate from breaking or cracking due to bending. In addition, since low-density polyethylene can be cut with office scissors or a cutter, the shape of the support plate can be processed according to the shape of the patient's foot and the degree of symptoms.

At this time, the thickness of the support plate is preferably 1 mm or more and 3 mm or less. By setting the thickness of the support plate within this range, it is possible to moderately balance the holding force of the ankle and the degree of freedom.

Further, it is preferable that a lining made of a cushioning sheet material is attached to the surface of the support plate facing the foot. Since the sheet material disperses the pressure from the fixture, the foot does not hurt even if the brace is worn for a long time.

At this time, the lining is preferably a foam having a porous surface. A large number of holes and irregularities are provided on the surface of the inner lining, which reduces stuffiness of the feet when the support plate is attached. In addition, for example, when the support plate and the lining are attached with double-sided tape, or when the ankle is firmly fixed by wrapping the tape over the support plate after installation, the tape attached to the lining can easily come off. This reduces damage to the lining during peeling.

Moreover, at this time, the lining preferably contains zeolite in its material. Zeolite has the effect of enhancing the hygroscopicity, deodorization, and antibacterial properties of products containing it. By incorporating zeolite into the lining, the lining can be made more suitable for long-term use and repeated use.

In addition, when the support plate is attached to the ankle, the medial portion, which is the portion along the inner side of the ankle, and the lateral portion, which is the portion along the outer side of the ankle, have escape holes, which are holes provided at the position of the ankle. is preferred. By letting the ankle escape from the hole, the tightening pressure of the fixture is prevented from concentrating on the left and right ankles, and even if the orthosis is worn for a long time, the foot is less likely to hurt.

At this time, it is preferable that the relief hole in the inner portion and the relief hole in the outer portion are different in vertical and longitudinal position, size, or shape. The left and right ankles are different in position and size. By considering the difference in the position, size, and shape of the escape holes, the effect of the escape holes can be enhanced, and the harmful effects of providing the escape holes can be suppressed.

Moreover, it is preferable that the fixture has a fixing band that is a strip-shaped member that is wrapped around the leg, and that the support plate is provided with a slit or a hole through which the fixing band is passed. By providing slits or holes in the support plate and connecting the fasteners to the support plate, the structure of the orthosis can be simplified compared to a structure in which eyelets or belt loops are separately attached to the support plate.

Further, when the portion of the support plate facing the sole is referred to as the sole portion, the sole portion is provided with a plantar flexion limiting portion that extends toward the toe side and limits the plantar flexion movement of the ankle. is preferred.

At this time, it is preferable that the plantar flexion restricting portion has the longest portion along the third metatarsal bone or the fourth metatarsal bone and extends toward the toe side. This effectively limits plantar flexion and varus movement of the ankle.

Further, at this time, it is preferable that the support plate restricts plantar flexion of the ankle and does not restrict dorsiflexion. If the movement of the ankle is completely blocked, not only will it interfere with work and sports, but the strength of the calf muscles will weaken and it will take a longer time to recover to the state before the injury. Plantar flexion of the ankle often aggravates the injury.

In addition, when the support plate is attached to the ankle, the portion along the inner side of the ankle has a concave portion formed by cutting a part of the edge in a concave shape on the edge on the heel side between the ankle and the sole. is preferably provided. When the foot is abducted or everted, the inside of the heel rubs against the support plate. By providing a recess in this portion, it is possible to prevent the heel from being scratched due to rubbing.

As described above, according to the ankle leg brace of the present invention, the ankle can be stabilized with a simple structure.

1 is a perspective view of an ankle leg brace according to an embodiment; FIG. It is a top view which shows a mode that the ankle-legs brace which has not been worn is expand|deployed. It is a left side view (a) and a right side view (b) which show a mode that the ankle leg brace was mounted|worn with the left ankle. It is the front view (a) and rear view (b) which show a mode that the ankle leg brace was mounted|worn with the left ankle. It is a bottom view showing the shape of the sole. Fig. 10 is a side view showing how the ankle plantar flexion exercise (a) and dorsiflexion exercise (b) are performed while wearing the ankle leg brace. It is a see-through|perspective side view which shows a mode that shoes were put on, with the ankle leg brace attached. 2 is a drawing-substituting photograph showing the surface structure of the lining.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following embodiments, the features of the ankle leg orthosis to be worn on the left leg will be described as an example, but these features are the same for the ankle leg orthosis to be worn on the right leg. Further, in the following description, "front" refers to the toe side of the foot, and "back" refers to the heel side. For the ankle, "inside" is the right side for the left foot, left side for the right foot, and "outside" is the opposite side.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an ankle leg brace 10 according to this embodiment. FIG. 2 is a plan view (more precisely, a bottom view) showing a state in which the unworn ankle leg brace 10 is unfolded. FIG. 3 is a left side view (a) and a right side view (b) showing how the ankle leg brace is worn on the left ankle. FIG. 4 is a front view (a) and a rear view (b) showing how the ankle leg brace is worn on the left ankle. Hereinafter, the overall configuration of the ankle leg brace 10 and the features of each part will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. FIG.

(overall structure)
The ankle leg brace 10 of this embodiment mainly includes a support plate 20 that is a flat plate member made of resin, a lining 60 that is a cushioning sheet material, and a fixing band 70 that fixes the support plate 20 to the ankle by tightening. (Fixture). The lining 60 of this embodiment is attached to the support plate 20 with double-sided tape. The fixing band 70 is a band made of a stretchable material, and its tightening condition can be adjusted by hook-and-loop fasteners provided on its surface.

(Summary of support plate)
The support plate 20 of this embodiment is a soft resin plate whose main component is low-density polyethylene, and can be freely bent by human power without using a tool. When the support plate 20 is worn, it is bent in a U shape along the inner side, the outer side, and the sole of the ankle, and the fixing band 70 fixes the shape and the mounting position.

The ankle leg orthosis 10 of the present embodiment wraps the ankle in a U-shape with a resin plate (support plate 20) having a bending rigidity that can be bent by hand, and tightens it to the foot with a fixing band 70, thereby allowing the foot to perform a varus movement. Valgus movement is effectively restricted. According to the ankle leg brace 10, since the ankle is supported by the dedicated support plate 20, the ankle can be stabilized more firmly than tapes or commercially available ankle supporters without requiring expert knowledge such as taping. . In addition, when storing or transporting the ankle leg orthosis 10, the support plate 20 may be kept flat or wound into a roll, which saves more space than a foot-shaped orthosis. In addition, unlike casts, it does not harden irreversibly, so it can be reapplied, adjusted, and reused after removal. Furthermore, since the tightening pressure of the fixing band 70 is distributed by the support plate 20, it is less likely that only a portion of the joint is tightened too strongly as in taping.

Since the support plate 20 of the ankle leg brace 10 employs low-density polyethylene, the support plate 20 is prevented from cracking due to bending. Furthermore, since low-density polyethylene can be cut with office scissors or a cutter, it is also possible to process the shape of the support plate 20 according to the shape of the patient's foot and the degree of symptoms. Also, the support plate 20 made of low-density polyethylene can be processed into its basic shape by applying heat with a dryer or the like. For example, the part that is difficult to tighten, such as the part that hits the ankle, is recessed in advance to give room, and when the end of the support plate 20 rubs against the skin and hurts, the end is bent outward to prevent the corner from touching the skin. can be The resin material of the support plate 20 is not limited to low-density polyethylene. Other resin materials may be used as long as they have a flexural modulus to the extent that they can be flexed by human power without using a tool and can be expected to hold the ankle.

Moreover, the thickness of the support plate 20 of this embodiment is 1.5 mm. By setting the thickness of the support plate 20 within the range of 1 mm or more and 3 mm or less, it is possible to moderately balance the holding force of the ankle and the degree of freedom.

(Inside/outside of support plate)
As shown in FIG. 2, the support plate 20 of this embodiment includes a medial portion 30 that is a portion that is arranged along the inside of the ankle when worn on the ankle, and a portion that is arranged along the outside of the ankle. The outer part 40 and the sole part 50 facing the sole are integrated in series to form a strip-shaped resin plate. The support plate 20 when not mounted is a flat member as shown in FIG.

A plurality of sets of slits 31 and 41, which are a pair of cuts through which the fixing band 70 is passed, are provided in the inner portion 30 and the outer portion 40 of the support plate 20, respectively. The slits 31 , 41 are provided along the longitudinal direction of the support plate 20 and between both ends of the inner portion 30 and the outer portion 40 . In this embodiment, two slits 31a and 41a through which the fixing band 70 with a width of 5 cm passes, and one slit 31b and 41b through which the fixing band 70 with a width of 2.5 cm passes are provided. In this embodiment, by providing the support plate 20 with the slits 31 and 41 and connecting the fixing band 70 to the support plate 20, the structure of the ankle leg brace 10 is different from the structure in which the support plate 20 is separately provided with eyelets, belt loops, or the like. is simplified. The number, position, and width (length) of the slits 31 and 41 are not limited to those of this embodiment, and may vary depending on the symptoms of the ankle, the holding force of the ankle required for the short-leg orthosis, the type of fixture, and the like. may be changed as appropriate. Moreover, the method of attaching the fixing band 70 to the support plate 20 is not limited to the form of slits, and for example, a long hole or the like through which the fixing band 70 is passed may be formed in the support plate 20 .

The ankle leg brace 10 of this embodiment is composed only of flexible members, and does not use any metal parts. For example, the rules of some sports may dictate what a player may wear while competing. The strictness of the rules varies depending on the competition, but the main purpose of all of them is the fairness of the competition and the prevention of accidents. The ankle leg brace 10 of this embodiment is considered to be less likely to conflict with the rules than the braces using metal fasteners and the braces using hard members.

In addition, the inner portion 30 and the outer portion 40 have escape holes 34 and 44, which are holes provided at the positions of the left and right malleolus, respectively. When the ankle leg brace 10 is worn, the ankles are released from the release holes 34, 44, so that the tightening pressure of the fixing band 70 is prevented from being concentrated on the right and left ankles, and the ankle leg brace 10 is worn for a long time. Even in such cases, the feet are less likely to hurt.

Here, the left and right ankles are different in position and size. In this embodiment, the relief hole 34 of the inner part 30 is formed slightly higher and slightly larger than the relief hole 44 of the outer part 40 according to the positions and sizes of the left and right ankles. In the support plate 20 of this embodiment, the position, size, and shape of the relief holes 34 and 44 take into consideration the difference between the left and right ankles, thereby enhancing the pressure dispersion effect of the relief holes 34 and 44. , the adverse effects caused by providing the relief holes 34 and 44 are suppressed. Here, the term "disadvantage" means that, for example, when the support plate 20 is made bilaterally symmetrical to make the ankle leg orthosis 10 bilateral, the relief holes 34 and 44 need to be made large in order to correspond to the left and right ankles. , the holding force of the support plate 20 is impaired. In the present embodiment, the escape holes 34 and 44 are provided at necessary positions and sizes according to the positions and sizes of the left and right ankles, respectively, so that this problem is minimized. When it is desired to increase the holding force of the support plate 20, a separate fixing band 70 may be passed through the relief holes 34 and 44. - 特許庁

In addition, at the rear edge (edge on the heel side) of the medial portion 30, a recessed portion 35 is provided between the escape hole 34 and the sole portion 50 by cutting a portion of the rear edge into a concave shape. ing. When the foot is abducted or everted, the inside of the heel rubs against the support plate 20. - 特許庁In the support plate 20 of this embodiment, by providing the recessed portion 35 in this portion, the heel is prevented from being scratched due to rubbing.

(Fixed band)
In this embodiment, the fixing band 70 is used as the fixing member for the support member 20, but the fixing member is not limited to the fixing band 70, and may be, for example, a non-stretchable belt. Alternatively, it is contemplated that the support member 20 may be pre-glued, encapsulated, or sewn to the sock type. In addition to the fixing band 70, a tape may be further wound on the support plate 20 after mounting to increase the holding force.

The sole part 50 of this embodiment has a plantar flexion limiting part 51 which will be described later. The plantar flexion limiting part 51 is a structure that limits the plantar flexion movement of the ankle. The support plate 20 of this embodiment has a left-right asymmetrical shape due to the plantar flexion limiting portion 51, relief holes 34, 44, recessed portion 35, and the like. In other words, the ankle leg brace 10 of this embodiment is exclusively for the left leg, and wearing it on the right leg is a misuse. In order to use the ankle leg brace 10 for the right leg, the attachment surfaces of the support plate 20 and the lining 60 are simply reversed.

(sole part of support plate)
FIG. 5 is a bottom view showing the shape of the sole portion 50. As shown in FIG. FIG. 6 is a side view showing how the ankle plantar flexion exercise (a) and dorsiflexion exercise (b) are performed while the ankle leg brace 10 is worn. Hereinafter, the plantar flexion limiting function of the ankle leg brace 10 will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6. FIG.

The sole portion 50 of this embodiment is provided with a plantar flexion limiting portion 51 that extends toward the toe side and limits the plantar flexion movement of the ankle. The plantar flexion restricting part 51 has the longest portion along the 3rd metatarsal bone or the 4th metatarsal bone and extends to the toe side, thereby effectively restricting the plantar flexion movement and the inversion movement of the ankle. .

Moreover, the ankle plantar flexion movement of the ankle is restricted, but the ankle dorsiflexion movement is not restricted. If the movement of the ankle is completely blocked, not only will it interfere with work and sports, but the strength of the calf muscles will weaken and it will take a longer time to recover to the state before the injury. Plantar flexion of the ankle often aggravates the injury.

FIG. 7 is a side perspective view showing a state in which shoes 90 are worn while wearing the ankle leg brace 10. FIG. Since the ankle leg brace 10 of this embodiment enables free dorsiflexion, it does not press down the top of the foot. Therefore, the ankle foot brace 10 is relatively compact when worn with the shoe 90, and can be worn with a wide variety of shoes. Moreover, by wearing the shoes 90 while wearing the ankle leg brace 10, the bending of the support plate 20 is suppressed, and the force of holding the ankle by the support plate 20 can be increased.

(lining)
FIG. 8 is a drawing-substituting photograph showing the surface structure of the lining 60 of this embodiment. The liner 60 of this embodiment is a foam having a porous surface. By providing a large number of holes and irregularities on the surface of the lining 60 , dampness of the foot when wearing the short leg brace 10 is reduced. In addition, for example, when the ankle is more firmly fixed by wrapping the tape over the support plate 20, the tape sticking to the lining 60 protruding from the support plate 20 can be easily peeled off, and damage to the lining 60 can be reduced. be. In addition, in this embodiment, the support plate 20 and the lining 60 are also attached with double-sided tape, so that damage to the lining 60 when these are peeled off can be suppressed.

In this embodiment, since the lining 60 disperses the tightening pressure of the support plate 20, even if the ankle leg brace 10 is worn for a long period of time, the foot is less likely to hurt. However, the lining 60 is not essential, and it is conceivable to substitute thick socks, for example.

In addition, the lining 60 of the present embodiment contains zeolite (natural zeolite) in an amount of 5 to 10%, thereby enhancing its hygroscopicity, deodorizing property, and antibacterial property. As a result, the lining 60 of this embodiment can withstand long-term use and repeated use.

10: Ankle leg brace, 20: Support plate, 30: Medial part, 31: Slit, 34: Escape hole, 35: Hollow part, 40: Lateral part, 41: Slit, 44: Escape hole, 50: Sole part, 51: plantar flexion limiting part, 60: lining, 70: fixing band (fixing tool), 90: shoes

Claims (14)

a support plate that is a flat plate member made of resin;
a fixture for fixing the support plate to the ankle;
The support plate is a member with bending rigidity to the extent that it can be bent by human power without using tools,
The support plate is bent in a U shape along the medial side, lateral side, and sole of the ankle, and its shape and mounting position are maintained by the fixture.
Ankle leg orthosis. The support plate is folded into a U shape along the ankle when worn.
An ankle leg orthosis according to claim 1. The support plate is mainly composed of low-density polyethylene,
An ankle leg brace according to claim 1 or 2. The thickness of the support plate is 1 mm or more and 3 mm or less.
An ankle leg orthosis according to claim 3. A lining made of a cushioning sheet material is attached to the surface of the support plate facing the foot,
An ankle leg orthosis according to any one of claims 1 to 4. the liner is a foam having a porous surface;
An ankle leg orthosis according to claim 5. the lining contains zeolite in its material;
An ankle leg brace according to claim 5 or claim 6. When the support plate is attached to the ankle, the medial portion, which is the portion along the inner side of the ankle, and the lateral portion, which is the portion along the outer side of the ankle, have an escape hole which is a hole provided at the position of the ankle,
An ankle leg orthosis according to any one of claims 1 to 7. The relief hole in the inner portion and the relief hole in the outer portion are different in vertical and longitudinal position, size, or shape,
An ankle leg orthosis according to claim 8. The fixture has a fixing band that is a band-shaped member that is wrapped around the foot,
The support plate is provided with a slit or hole through which the fixing band passes,
Ankle leg orthosis according to any one of claims 1 to 9. When the part of the support plate facing the sole is referred to as the sole, the sole is provided with a plantar flexion limiting part that extends toward the toe side and limits the plantar flexion movement of the ankle.
Ankle leg orthosis according to any one of claims 1 to 10. The plantar flexion limiting part has the longest part along the third metatarsal bone or the fourth metatarsal bone extending toward the toe side,
An ankle leg orthosis according to claim 11. the support plate restricts plantar flexion and not dorsiflexion of the ankle;
An ankle leg orthosis according to claim 11 or 12. In the portion along the inside of the ankle when the support plate is attached to the ankle, a recess is provided by cutting a part of the edge into a concave shape on the edge on the heel side between the ankle and the sole. is being
Ankle foot orthosis according to any one of claims 1 to 13.

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