Sports brace
OwnerAndrew Godwininventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A shoulder brace consists of a figure "8" strap tensioned between a lower loop anchored around a thigh and a collar or sleeve worn on an opposite upper arm corresponding to an injured shoulder so as to extend the upper loop diagonally across the torso, thereby immobilizing the upper arm to prevent shoulder abduction and external rotation after, for example, shoulder dislocation. The upper and lower loops crossover adjacent the hip, with lower loop snugged under the crotch so as to allow relatively unrestricted movement of the thigh, for example, during exercise. The shoulder brace is thus well adapted for use as a sports brace.
Claims11
A shoulder brace comprising a first elongate flexible member forming a lower loop along a mid portion of said first elongate flexible member,
- an upper vertex of said lower loop formed at an adjustable crossover, said adjustable crossover adjustable so as to snug said lower loop around an upper thigh of a user by mating of said first elongate flexible member at first and second portions thereof corresponding to said crossover at said vertex of said lower loop,
- an adjustable cuff, selectively adjustable for snug wearing around an upper arm of the user, first and second opposite free ends of said first elongate flexible member releasably mounted to said cuff so as to form an upper loop diagonally extending between said crossover and said cuff so as to tension said First elongate flexible member therebetween and thereby form a figure "8" of said first elongate flexible member,
- said upper loop, when tensioned between said crossover and said cuff, extending generally diagonally across front and back surfaces of a torso of the user so as to encircle the torso within said upper loop, said upper loop lying generally in a first plane angularly offset from a second plane generally containing said lower loop and intersecting at said crossover when said lower loop is worn around the upper thigh of the user opposite to an injured shoulder of the user, and said cuff worn on the upper arm on a side of the user corresponding to the injured shoulder when in use,
- wherein, when said lower loop is worn around the upper thigh with said crossover located generally adjacent a hip of the user corresponding to the upper thigh when in use, and said upper loop extends diagonally from said crossover across the torso so as to be tensioned around said cuff on the upper arm on the side of the user corresponding to the injured shoulder when in use, and tensioned so as to support said upper loop in generally said first plane, the upper arm is immobilized.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.