Therapeutic stocking and method

#Men and women suffer from edema and complications of phlebitis and Stasis ulcers as well as other venous inflammatory diseases during protracted bed confinement whether from accidents, fractures or extended illnesses. Post surgical convalescence for certain patients prescribes wearing some form of elastic bandages, elastic surgical support stockings or other means for preventing conditions of phlebitis or other venous inflammatory conditions and possible complications that may be developed in non-ambulatory or disabled patients.

#Women during prenatal and postnatal care have experienced a tendency to encounter swelling and pain in their legs generated by edema and have found a measure of relief by wearing some types of support or surgical stockings. Others who have experienced "tired legs" have found some relief by wearing hosiery that has a degree of retractive or compressive force.

#The above-noted application describes a therapeutic garment that is knit with bare elastomeric and non-elastomeric yarns which seeks to overcome some of the disadvantages and objections to certain of the presently available commercial products.

#FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a therapeutic stocking having a thigh panel welt insert embodying this invention;

#FIG. 2 is a left side elevational view of FIG. 1;

#FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial prospective view of the top portion of the therapeutic stocking illustrating the thigh panel welt insert;

#Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawing, there is illustrated a therapeutic stocking 10 that is provided with an upper turned welt portion 11, an upper welt portion 12, a leg or boot portion 13, and intermediate heel-instep portion 14 combined with a section of the foot portion 15 at the end of which is a closed toe section 16, all of which sections and portions are integrally knit on a circular multi-feed knitting machine.

#A flexible and relatively inelastic welt panel insert 17, having a substantially triangular or cone-shaped configuration is securely fastened to the opposed edges 18 and 19 formed in the welt portion 12 extending downwardly from the terminal end 20 of the welt to a position 21 that is above the conventional position for the knee of the leg of a wearer of the stocking. The panel insert 17 converges downwardly to be positioned on the upper and inner thigh portion on the leg of a wearer.

#The tapered therapeutic sotcking 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is knit as a cylindrical tube without any reciprocation to form a heel pocket or toe pocket as in the conventional stocking. The therapeutic stocking 10 is provided with a taper by virtue of graduated stitch length control incorporated on the circular knitting machine and the finished stocking is preferably unboarded.