Compression garment

• US 8,752,216 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2010
• Issued: 06/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DM Orthotics Limited
• Original Assignee: DM Orthotics Limited
• Inventors: Sawle, Leanne, Winstanley, Elaine, Matthews, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): MORAN, KATHERINE M
• Application Number:
  US12/850,148
• Publication Number:
  US 20120029407A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,413 Days
• Field of Search: 240/0, 240/1, 240/3, 240/4, 2408-410, 241/2, 222/8, 450/94, 450/95, 602/61, 602/75
• US Class Current: 2/228
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/0525 Loin or waist area
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 31/185 using layered materials

Abstract

A compression garment, for example a pair of compression shorts (10, 210, 310), has a trunk section (20), a left leg section (30) and a right leg section (40) constructed from a resilient material. The trunk section (20) is reinforced such that a wearer'"'"'s pelvic region is subjected to a first compressive force acting diagonally across a front portion of the trunk section from left to right and a second compressive force acting diagonally from right to left. The range of motion at the wearer'"'"'s hips is preferably not restricted by the reinforcement.

Claims

1. A compression garment fabricated from a resilient material, comprising:

a trunk section for conforming to a wearer'"'"'s pelvic region, the trunk section having a front portion and a rear portion meeting at left and right side-seams;

a left leg section for conforming to at least an upper portion of the wearer'"'"'s left leg, the left leg section joining the trunk section at a left leg-shoulder-seam;

a right leg section for conforming to at least an upper portion of the wearer'"'"'s right leg, the right leg section joining the trunk section at a right leg-shoulder-seam;

at least one first front reinforcement panel extending diagonally across the front portion of the trunk section, attached to the garment at the left side-seam and the right leg-shoulder-seam, and generating a first force acting in a direction extending substantially diagonally-downward across the front portion between the left side-seam and the right leg-shoulder-seam;

at least one second front reinforcement panel extending diagonally across the front portion of the trunk section, attached to the garment at the right side-seam and the left leg-shoulder-seam, and generating a second force acting in a direction extending substantially diagonally-downward across the front portion between the right side-seam and left leg-shoulder-seam; and

at least one third rear reinforcement panel extending substantially horizontally across the rear portion of the trunk section between the left side-seam and the right side-seam, attached to the garment at the left side seam and at the right side-seam, generating a third force acting in a direction extending substantially horizontally across the rear portion of the trunk section between the left side-seam and the right side-seam, and covering the wearer'"'"'s left and right sacroiliac joints when worn, wherein the wearer'"'"'s pelvic region is compressed by the third force when the garment is worn,

wherein the first and second reinforcement panels comprise separate first and second front reinforcement panels or a single front reinforcement panel,

wherein the trunk section is reinforced by the first, second, and third reinforcement panels such that when thr garment is worn the wearer'"'"'s pelvic region is compressed by the first, second, and third reinforcing forces, respectively, and

wherein the first and second reinforcing forces extend only between the respective side-seams and opposite leg-shoulder-seams, the third reinforcing force extends only between the side-seams, and no reinforcing force extends to either of the leg sections, such that the legs of the wearer are not restricted thereby.

2. A compression garment according to claim 1, wherein the at least one first front reinforcement panel and the at least one second front reinforcement panel comprise separate first and second front reinforcement panels.

3. A compression garment according to claim 2, wherein the first and second front reinforcement panels cross each other at a point covering the wearer'"'"'s symphysis pubis joint.

4. A compression garment according to claim 1, wherein first and second forces act in directions extending diagonally-downwards at an angle of between 20 degrees and 35 degrees from a horizontal direction across the front of the garment.

5. A compression garment according to claim 2, wherein the first and second front reinforcement panels have a length dimension extending substantially diagonally between the respective side-seams and leg-shoulder-seams, and a width dimension substantially perpendicular to the length dimension, in which the width dimension is between 5 cm and 15 cm.

6. A compression garment according to claim 1, wherein the at least one first front reinforcement panel and the at least one second front reinforcement panel comprise a single front reinforcement panel.

7. A compression garment according to claim 6, wherein the attachment of the front reinforcement panel to the garment at the left side-seam is at an upper left portion of the front reinforcement panel, an upper right portion of the attachment of the front reinforcement panel to the garment at the right side-seam is at an upper right portion of the front reinforcement panel, the attachment of the front reinforcement panel to the garment at the left leg-shoulder-seam is at a lower left portion of the front reinforcement panel to the garment at the right leg-shoulder-seam is at a lower right portion of the first reinforcement panel.

8. A compression garment according to claim 6, wherein the single front reinforcement panel is substantially X-shaped.

9. A compression garment according to claim 6, wherein the single front reinforcement panel is narrower at a central portion covering a wearer'"'"'s symphysis pubis than at either edge portion at which it attaches to the garment at the left and right side-seams.

10. A compression garment according to claim 1, wherein the width of the rear reinforcement panel or panels is between 5 cm and 15 cm where it joins to the left and right side-seams.

11. A compression garment according to claim 1, wherein the rear reinforcement panel has a greater width at a central point between the left and right side-seams than at the left and right side-seams.

12. A compression garment according to claim 1, wherein the trunk section has an upper edge defining an opening for encircling the wearer'"'"'s torso, and one or more darts are formed in the upper edge to improve engagement of the garment with the wearer'"'"'s torso.

13. A compression garment according to claim 1, wherein the left leg section defines a left leg opening for encircling the wearer'"'"'s left leg above the wearer'"'"'s left knee, and the right leg section defines a right leg opening for encircling the wearer'"'"'s right leg above the wearer'"'"'s right knee, in which the left and right openings are between 1 cm and 25 cm above the wearer'"'"'s knees, the compression garment being a pair of compression shorts.

14. A compression garment according to claim 1, wherein the garment, when worn, provides a compressive force to the wearer'"'"'s left and right sacroiliac joints and the wearer'"'"'s symphysis pubis joint.

15. A compression garment according to claim 1, wherein there is no reinforcement panel extending onto the leg sections of the garment.

16. A compression garment according to claim 1, wherein reinforcement to the garment provides no substantial limitation to the wearer'"'"'s active range of motion during hip flexion.

17. A compression garment according to claim 1, wherein the garment increases force closure of the wearer'"'"'s symphysis pubis.

18. A compression garment according to claim 1, wherein, when the garment is worn, the compression force generated at the hips, as measured at the left or right side-seam, is between 15 and 28 mm Hg.

21. A method of using the compression garment according to claim 1, comprising using the garment for the treatment of lumbopelvic injury or disorder.

22. A method of using the compression garment according to claim 1, comprising using the garment as a prophylactic measure against lumbopelvic injury or disorder.

19. A compression garment fabricated from a resilient material, comprising:

a trunk section for conforming to a wearer'"'"'s pelvic region, the trunk section having a front portion and a rear portion meeting at left and right side-seams;

a left leg section for conforming to at least an upper portion of the wearer'"'"'s left leg, the left leg section joining the trunk section at a left leg-shoulder-seam;

a right leg section for conforming to at least an upper portion of the wearer'"'"'s right leg, the right leg section joining the trunk section at a right leg-shoulder-seam;

at least one first front reinforcement panel extending diagonally across the front portion of the trunk section left to right from the left side-seam diagonally downward to the right leg-shoulder-seam adjacent the right side-seam, and generating a first force acting in a direction extending substantially diagonally-downward across the front portion between the left side-seam and the right leg-shoulder-seam; and

at least one second front reinforcement extending diagonally across the front portion of the trunk section right to left from the right side-seam diagonally downward to the left leg-shoulder-seam adjacent the left side-seam, and generating a second force acting in a direction extending substantially diagonally-downward across the front portion between the right side-seam and the left leg-shoulder-seam;

wherein the first and second reinforcement panels comprise separate first and second front reinforcement panels or a single front reinforcement panel,

wherein the trunk section is reinforced by the first and second front reinforcement panels such that, when the garment is worn, the first and second reinforcing forces apply compression to the wearer'"'"'s sacroiliac joints and symphysis pubis, and

wherein the first and second reinforcing forces extend only between the respective side-seams and leg-shoulder-seams and no reinforcement panel or force extends to either the of the leg sections such that the first and second reinforcing forces do not restrict the legs of the wearer and thereby the wearer maintains a full range of leg movement.

20. A compression garment according to claim 19, wherein a rear portion of the trunk section is reinforced by a panel or panels of a resilient material extending horizontally across a rear portion of the trunk section.

23. A method of using the compression garment according to claim 19, comprising using the garment for the treatment of lumbopelvic injury or disorder.

24. A method of using the compression garment according to claim 19, comprising using the garment as a prophylactic measure against lumbopelvic injury or disorder.