Orthotic ankle garment, and method for stabilizing the lower leg of a wearer

An orthotic ankle garment integrally knit of a body yarn and adapted for wear on a lower leg of a user, the lower leg including an ankle and foot, said orthotic ankle garment having an open leg end and a toe end, and comprising:

• a first high compression zone axially spaced apart from the toe end of said garment and adapted for applying at least 20 mmHg of substantially circumferential compression around a midfoot region of the foot, and wherein said ankle garment comprises reduced compression axially from said first high compression zone towards the toe end of said garment;
• a second high compression zone axially spaced apart from the leg end of said garment and adapted for applying at least 20 mmHg of substantially circumferential compression around the ankle of the user, and wherein said ankle garment comprises reduced compression axially from said second high compression zone to the leg end of said garment;
• a pressure relief zone formed at an anatomical turn of said ankle garment, and shaped to closely fit a heel and upper instep region of the foot, said pressure relief zone extending around the foot between said first and second high compression zones for separating said first and second high compression zones, and configured to apply less circumferential compression to the foot as compared to the compression applied by said first and second high compression zones;
• a lateral brace strap integrally formed with the body yarn of said garment, and adapted to reside on an outside of the lower leg between the open leg end of said garment and a termination point proximate a lateral malleolus of the ankle, said lateral brace strap extending axially through said second high compression zone, and defining a vertically-disposed area of reduced fabric stretch relative to directly adjacent areas of said second high compression zone;
• and
• a medial brace strap integrally formed with the body yarn of said garment, and adapted to reside on an inside of the lower leg between the open leg end of said garment and a termination point proximate a medial malleolus of the ankle, said medial brace strap extending axially through said second high compression zone, and defining a vertically-disposed area of reduced fabric stretch relative to directly adjacent areas of said second high compression zone;
• an upwardly-turned lateral stabilizer wing located at the termination point of said lateral brace strap, said lateral stabilizer wing residing within said first high compression zone, and configured to extend proximate the lateral malleolus of the ankle towards a top region of the foot, and said lateral stabilizer wing defining an area of reduced fabric stretch relative to directly adjacent areas of said compression zone.