Reinforced support device

A glove suitable to protect a finger from hyperextension when contacted with a force, the glove comprising:

• a back side;
• a palm side;
• a hand section;
• a plurality of finger sections connected to and extending from the hand section and each having a back side and a palm side;
• at least one finger reinforcement spine, wherein the at least one finger reinforcement spine comprises a distal end, a proximal end, a front side, and a segmented back side defining a plurality of spaced apart lateral reliefs, wherein the at least one finger reinforcement spine is positioned on the back side of the finger section, and wherein the at least one reinforcement spine can freely flex in response to a bending load toward the front side and can oppose a bending load toward the back side;
• a plate, wherein the plate is positioned on the back side of the hand section, and wherein the proximal end, front side of the at least one finger reinforcement spine slidably engages the plate such that a rearward bending load exerted on the at least one finger reinforcement spine is transferred to the plate;
• and
• a spine block adjacent the proximal end of the at least one reinforcement spine, the at least one reinforcement spine being moveable apart from the spine block in response to a forward bending load to define a gap therebetween,
• wherein the front side of the proximal end of the at least one finger reinforcement spine slides relative to the upper surface of the plate and toward the spine block when the rearward bending load is transferred to the plate, wherein the spine block opposes further sliding of the at least one reinforcement spine relative to the upper surface of the plate.

A device to protect a body part from overextension comprising:

• at least one reinforcement spine comprising a first end, a second end, a front side and a back side, wherein the at least one reinforcement spine can flex toward the front side and is substantially inflexible toward the back side;
• a plate comprising an upper surface and a lower surface, wherein the front side of the second end of the at least one reinforcement spine slidably engages the upper surface of the plate, whereby a force exerted on the front side of the at least one reinforcement spine is transferred to the plate, wherein the front side of the second end of the at least one reinforcement spine slides along a path relative to the upper surface of the plate when the force is transferred to the plate;
• a front covering, wherein the front covering is fixedly and immovably secured directly to the first end, wherein the front covering is further fixedly and immovably secured to the plate at a first location distal from the first end;
• and
• a back covering, wherein the back covering is fixedly and immovably secured directly to the first end, wherein the back covering is also fixedly and immovably secured to the plate at a second location distal from the first end.