Athletic back support apparatus
OwnerHarold D. Saundersinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A back support orthosis garment particularly applicable for vigorous athletic activities is disclosed. A lumbosacral support designed to partially immobilize all or a portion of the lumbar vertebrae, is maintained in a predetermined aligned position relative to the wearer's spine by means of a compression-type short/pant that also provides graduated compressive support to the thigh and groin area muscles of the wearer. The compression-type short and lumbosacral support structures are integrally designed in a single garment that is comfortably worn and which maintains the aligned position of the lumbosacral support relative to the spine, regardless of the degree of movement of the wearer.
Claims18
A garment for providing back support to the spine of a wearer, comprising:
- (a) a compression short having elastic means for conforming said compression short tightly to the pelvis, groin area, and lower abdominal muscles of the user;
- and
- (b) a lumbosacral support having means for engaging the spine from approximately the sacrum to at least the L.sub.3 lumbar vertebrae operatively connected with said compression short, wherein said compression short maintains the vertical position of said lumbosacral support relative to the spine of the wearer during active movement of the wearer.
A lumbosacral orthosis support garment for athletes, comprising:
- (a) a lumbosacral support member having means for engaging the spine from approximately the sacrum to at least the L.sub.3 lumbar vertebrae arranged and configured so as to apply support pressure to the body of a wearer to at least partially immobilize movement of one or more of the lumbar vertebrae of the wearer's spinal column;
- and
- (b) a pant configuration having elastic means for conforming said pant configuration tightly to the pelvis, groin area, and lower abdominal muscles of the user, said pant configuration being operatively connected with said support member for anchoring said support member to the pelvis of the wearer regardless of the degree of physical movement of the wearer.
A unitized back and muscle support for athletes, comprising:
- (a) an elastic compression short having means for conforming said compression short tightly to the pelvis, groin area, and lower abdominal muscles of the user, a waistband, and leg portions designed to extend at least partially down the thigh of the wearer for applying graduated compressive forces to the hamstring and groin area muscles of the wearer;
- (b) an elastic support strap having means for engaging the spine from approximately the sacrum to at least the L.sub.3 lumbar vertebrae operatively connected to and restrained from vertical movement by the compression short and designed to circumferentially extend around the waist area of the wearer;
- (c) stay means sized to supportively span that area of the wearer's back extending between the sacrum and at least three vertebrae of the wearer's lumbar spine;
- (d) means operatively connected with said support strap for aligning said stay means adjacent the spine of the wearer such that said stay means extend along the wearer's back from the sacrum to at least three vertebrae of the wearer's lumbar spine;
- (e) means operatively connected with said stay means for urging said stay means toward the wearer's back thereby partially immobilizing movement of two or more lumbar vertebrae of the wearer's spine;
- and
- (f) wherein the above combination maintains the lumbar vertebrae of the wearer in a predetermined anatomical relationship relative to one another regardless of the degree of movement activity of the wearer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.