Ankle positioning splint
First Claim
1. An ankle positioning splint for maintaining a patient'"'"'s foot in a desired position relative to a corresponding lower leg of the patient to thereby position an ankle of the foot, wherein the foot includes a heel, said ankle positioning splint comprising:
- load-bearing foot brace means including a bottom plate for supporting the patient'"'"'s foot in a supported position and leg supporting means extending upwardly from the plate and along opposing sides of the lower leg, respectively, when the foot is supported in the supported position, said leg supporting means further including an upper rear opening;
foot holding means disposed on the foot brace means for pressing against the patient'"'"'s foot anterior to the ankle; and
calf support means secured to opposing portions of the leg supporting means and extending across the upper rear opening thereof for pressing against a posterior portion of the lower leg residing between a knee joint and a larger portion of a calf section of the lower leg, said posterior portion residing forwardly of the larger portion of the calf such that said calf section extends rearwardly to a location beneath and rearward of the portion of the calf support means which is pressing against said posterior portion of the lower leg, to thereby aid in preventing substantial migration of the heel away from the bottom plate of the foot brace means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An ankle positioning splint. The splint includes a load-bearing foot brace having a bottom plate for supporting a foot in a supported position against the plate. A pair of splint arms extend upwardly from the plate and along opposing sides of the lower leg, respectively. A heel strap and an anterior ankle strap are secured to the foot brace means at opposing positions. The anterior ankle strap presses against the anterior ankle, and the heel strap presses against a specific rear portion of the heel posterior to the ankle and adjacent the calcaneus. The heel strap conforms to the natural curvature of the angled rear portion of the heel so as to apply a specific downward force into the calcaneus, and preferably does not circumscribe the foot or the leg. A calf strap is secured to the splint arms for pressing against the angled upper section of the calf muscle. The calf strap preferably does not circumscribe the leg, and is counteracted by a front strap which presses against the front of the lower leg just below the knee. The straps and all surfaces of the brace that contact the foot and leg are heavily padded, and an optional middle strap can be disposed on the splint arms to circumscribe the leg at a location between the calf strap and the heel strap for additional support.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. An ankle positioning splint for maintaining a patient'"'"'s foot in a desired position relative to a corresponding lower leg of the patient to thereby position an ankle of the foot, wherein the foot includes a heel, said ankle positioning splint comprising:
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load-bearing foot brace means including a bottom plate for supporting the patient'"'"'s foot in a supported position and leg supporting means extending upwardly from the plate and along opposing sides of the lower leg, respectively, when the foot is supported in the supported position, said leg supporting means further including an upper rear opening; foot holding means disposed on the foot brace means for pressing against the patient'"'"'s foot anterior to the ankle; and calf support means secured to opposing portions of the leg supporting means and extending across the upper rear opening thereof for pressing against a posterior portion of the lower leg residing between a knee joint and a larger portion of a calf section of the lower leg, said posterior portion residing forwardly of the larger portion of the calf such that said calf section extends rearwardly to a location beneath and rearward of the portion of the calf support means which is pressing against said posterior portion of the lower leg, to thereby aid in preventing substantial migration of the heel away from the bottom plate of the foot brace means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. An ankle positioning splint for maintaining a patient'"'"'s foot in a desired position relative to a corresponding lower leg of the patient to thereby position an ankle of the foot, said ankle positioning splint comprising:
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load-bearing foot brace means including a bottom plate for supporting the patient'"'"'s foot in a supported position and leg supporting means extending upwardly from the plate and along opposing sides of the lower leg, respectively, when the foot is supported in the supported position; and foot holding means disposed on the foot brace means for pressing against the patient'"'"'s foot anterior to the ankle; wherein the foot brace means includes a substantially rigid rear calf holder disposed in a substantially fixed orientation with respect to the bottom plate and defining a calf receiving cavity for receiving a larger portion of a calf section of the lower leg thereinto when the foot resides in the supported position, said rear calf holder including an upper portion having interior surface means for (i) at least partially facing the bottom plate such that said interior surface means and said bottom plate form an acute angle therebetween, and for (ii) residing against and above the larger portion of the calf section to thereby at least partially encapsulate said larger portion of the calf and block migration of the lower leg, and thus the heel, away from the bottom plate of the foot brace means when said larger portion of the calf section resides in the calf receiving cavity. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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Specification