Ankle control system
OwnerDean E. Cropperinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An ankle control system, having a form-fitting sock, a semi-rigid support member, a lever motion stabilizing strap, a stirrup strap, and collar. The form-fitting sock has opposing medial and lateral sides, a foot portion having an arch portion, and an ankle portion having a vertical Achilles tendon portion. The semi-rigid support member is connected to the sock and has at least one slot providing flexibility to contour over an ankle as pressure is exerted on the support member. The lever motion stabilizing strap acts as a lasso to restrict inversion, eversion, and plantar flexion/inversion through the lever action of the foot with respect to the ankle. The stirrup strap is adjustably attachable to the sock.
Claims21
An ankle control system, comprising:
- a form-fitting sock having opposing medial and lateral sides, a foot portion having an arch portion, and an ankle portion having a vertical Achilles tendon portion;
- a first semi-rigid support member connected to the sock and having at least one slot providing flexibility to contour over an ankle as pressure is exerted on the support member;
- a lever motion stabilizing strap having a first end removably attachable to the foot portion of the sock, the stabilizing strap being wrapable around the foot portion to securely attach to the first end, and having a second end adjustably attachable to one of the lateral and medial sides;
- and a stirrup strap adjustably attachable to the sock along the vertical portion and having a first end sequentially wrapable from the vertical portion, around a first side, over the arch portion to an opposing second side, and under the foot portion to allow adjustable attachment to the sock on the first side.
A method of controlling an ankle, comprising the steps of:
- providing (1) a form-fitting sock having opposing medial and lateral sides, a foot portion having an arch portion, and an ankle portion having a vertical Achilles heel portion, (2) a first semi-rigid support member connected to the sock and having at least one slot providing flexibility to contour over an ankle as pressure is exerted on the support member, (3) a lever motion stabilizing strap, and (4) a stirrup strap;
- fitting the sock onto a foot;
- attaching a first end of the lever motion stabilizing strap to the foot portion of the sock, wrapping the stabilizing strap around the foot portion to securely attach an intermediate portion of the stabilizing strap to the first end of the stabilizing strap, and adjustably attaching a second end of the stabilizing strap to the lateral side of the form fitting sock;
- and adjustably attaching a stirrup strap to the sock along the vertical portion and sequentially wrapping a first end of the stirrup strap from the vertical portion, around the medial side, over the arch portion to the opposing lateral side portion, and under the foot portion, and adjustably attaching the first end to the sock on the medial side.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.