US 5,329,941 A · Orthotic hand and forearm support device

Abstract

A hand and forearm orthotic device for attachment to the forearm of chronically ill, elderly, handicapped, comatose or deliberated patients. The device comprises a block member, preferably formed of flexible foam or other soft material having a pair of support members releasably attached to the underside thereof. The block member incorporates a pair of retainer straps operative to hold a human forearm in a first position thereon. A hand support assembly is also connected to and/or incorporated in the block member so as to support the hand of the patient when the forearm is positioned on top of the block member. The hand support assembly may be adjustable so as to provide for varying degrees of rotation or dorsiflexion of the hand. A longitudinal groove formed by the support members and the underside of the block member may be used to facilitate placement of the block member on a wheelchair arm or other structure. The orthotic device further includes an optional axillary wedge member or abductor assembly attachable to the forearm support device to abduct the shoulder joint. The wedge member may be adjustable to accomplish varying degrees of abduction.

Claims38

Dependent claims

A hand and forearm orthotic device comprising:

a block member having a front end, a rear end, a generally flat upper surface, and a generally flat underside;
at least one support member releasably attached to said underside of said block member, said support member having a front end, a rear end and a bottom surface;
a retainer strap operative to hold a human forearm in a first position on the upper surface of said block member;
and
a hand support member attached to and extending forward of the front end of said block member to engage the hand when said forearm is in said first position;
said block member and said at least one support member being shaped such that when interconnected, the upper surface to bottom surface dimension at the front end of said block member and said support member is greater than the upper surface to bottom surface dimension at the rear end of said block member and said support member such that when the bottom surface of said support member is positioned on a horizontally planar underlying surface, the forearm in said first position on the upper surface of the block member will be inclined such that the wrist is higher than the elbow.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Orthotic hand and forearm support device

Life of this patent

Orthotic hand and forearm support device

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims38