Total elastic support member for use with an orthopedic device

An elastic integral flexible support member adapted for encircling the lower torso of a human being for securely supporting an orthopedic device on a leg or a prosthetic device on the residual lower limb of a human being having at least one above the knee amputation, the member comprising

• an adjustable body encircling portion having free ends which have detachable attachment means,
• attachment means for detachably connecting said free ends together;
• at least one flexible substantially cylindrical elastic sleeve means formed integrally with said body encircling portion, the sleeve means descending downwardly from the body encirciling means to encircle and to grip the top outer surface of the orthopedic device and to provide support for at least one orthopedic device and;
• a V-shaped adductor panel attached to the surface of the member and positioned so that, when the member is worn, the panel has the apex point generally directed in a downward direction attached in the lower region of the sleeve meas, with the sides extending upwardly and attached to the surface of the front and back of the belt portion on the outer side of the body which has the orthopedic device.

A blank comprising a flexible elastic material useful in the production of a flexible elastic supporting member for supporting an orthopedic device on a leg or prosthetic device securely on the lower residual limb of a human being having an above the knee amputation of at least one leg, which blank includes:

• an elongated flexible elastic belt portion having free ends for encircling the lower torso of a human body,
• attachment means connected at said free ends for detachably connecting said free ends together,
• at least one flexible elastic portion descending downwardly from the body encircling means which when connected upon itself creates flexible elastic substantially cylindrical elastic sleeve means which is formed integrally with said body encircling portion, and
• a V-shaped adductor panel attached to the surface of the blank and positioned so that when the blank is formed into an elastic support member, the panel has an apex point of the V generally directed in a downward direction and attached in the outer lower portion of the sleeve means, with each side of the V pointing outwardly at generally about a 45.degree. angle to the horizontal and attached to the belt portion, wherein the point of the V is generally positioned about the middle of the side of the human which has an orthopedic device.