Ankle Wrap

This invention is directed to an improved ankle wrap and in particular to an improved ankle wrap in the form of an elongated elastic panel having fastening members selectively disposed along the lengthwise extent thereof for permitting wrapping of the ankle and instep in a predetermined manner.

Heretofore, ankle supports of the type utilized by athletes both during training and during competition and for medical purposes such as the rehabilitation of ankle sprains, have taken on various forms. Such ankle support devices have attempted to replace the "tape job" used by professional athletes whereby a web bandage and adhesive tape are utilized to wrap and tape an ankle. Ankles that are supported by a "tape job" when done by trained personnel are effectively braced. Moreover, such "tape jobs" are light and not bulky. However, since new tape must be utilized each time the ankle is wrapped, and additionally trained personnel are required to effect such taping, supporting an ankle by utilizing a "tape job" is expensive, time consuming and hence less than completely satisfactory.

Although reusable ankle supports have been developed, such ankle supports, at best, provide limited bracing. For example, those prior art ankle supports utilizing elastic wrapping materials often provide unwanted constriction to desired walking and running movement of the ankle required by an athlete without providing sufficient bracing of the ankle. Accordingly, an elastic ankle support for effectively bracing an ankle joint without restricting the walking and running movements required in athletic competition is desired.

Generally speaking, in accordance with the instant invention, an improved ankle wrap for effectively bracing an ankle is provided. The wrap is comprised of an elongated elastic panel having a first fastening member secured to a first elongated end portion of the panel. A second fastening member adapted to be releasably secured with the first fastening member is secured to the panel at a position spaced apart from the first fastening member to releasably engage the first fastening member when the portion of the elongated panel between the first fastening member and second fastening member is wrapped around the medial aspect of the longitudinal arch of a foot. Further fastening members are disposed at the other elongated end portion of the elastic panel for releasably securably fastening the panel about the ankle and arch after the panel has been alternately wrapped about the ankle and medial aspect of the longitudinal arch in a predetermined manner.

The predetermined manner of wrapping the improved ankle wrap of the instant invention is characterized by the repeated wrapping of the elongated elastic panel up and around the front of the ankle, behind the ankle and under the medial aspect of the longitudinal arch of the foot to thereby insure that blood circulation in the foot remains substantially unimpeded by the wrapping of the ankle in accordance with the instant invention.

Accordingly, it is an object of the instant invention to provide an improved ankle wrap for providing a high degree of support to an ankle.

A further object of the instant invention is to provide reusable ankle support capable of effectively bracing an ankle.

Still a further object of the instant invention is to provide an improved ankle wrap that avoids excessive constriction of the ankle.

Still a further object of the instant invention is to provide an elastic ankle wrap for providing effective support to an ankle without restricting walking and running movements of an ankle.

Still other objects and advantages of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part be apparent from the specification.

The invention accordingly comprises the several steps and the relation of one or more of such steps with respect to each of the others, and the apparatus embodying features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which are adapted to effect such steps, all as exemplified in the following detailed disclosure, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the invention, reference is had to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front plan view of an ankle wrap constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the instant invention;

FIG. 2 is a rear plan view of the ankle wrap depicted in FIG. 1; and

FIGS. 3 through 9 illustrate the manner in which an ankle is wrapped in accordance with the instant invention by the ankle wrap depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, wherein an ankle wrap, generally indicated as 10, is depicted. The ankle wrap is comprised of a elongated elastic panel 11 having a front surface 12 and a back surface 13. A nylon panel 15 is secured to the front surface 12 of the elastic panel 11 at a first end 14 and is coextensive with and defines a first end portion of the elastic panel. In a preferred embodiment, the nylon panel as well as the additional means carried by the elastic panel are secured to the elastic panel by being sewn thereto. However, other conventional adhesive means can be used for securing the nylon panel and other fastener means to the elastic panel 11.

Secured to the first end 14 of the elongated panel 11 on the back surface 13 thereof is a male Velcro fastening tab 16. An additional nylon reinforcing panel 18 can be provided coextensive with the end edge of the elastic panel for insuring that the male Velcro fastening tab 16 is securely fastened to the panel 11. A female Velcro fastening member 20 is disposed on the front surface 12 of the panel 11 and overlaps at least a portion of the nylon panel 15 so that the fastening member 20 is spaced apart from the male Velcro fastening tab 16 in order to permit same to effect a Velcro releasable fastening arrangement with the male Velcro fastening tab 16 when the nylon panel 15 is wrapped about the medial aspect of the longitudinal arch of a foot, hereinafter referred to as the "medial arch", in a manner to be discussed in greater detail below.

A further male Velcro fastening pad 21 is secured to the back surface 13 of the elongated panel 11 at a predetermined distance from the other end 22 of the elastic panel 11. A further female Velcro fastening pad 23 is secured to the front surface 12 of the elastic panel 11 and is coextensive with the end portion of the panel at the other end 22 thereof. As is detailed below, the female Velcro fastening pad 23 is provided for engaging the male Velcro fastening pad 21 when an ankle is wrapped in accordance with the instant invention to thereby releasably securably fasten the panel about the ankle and medial arch to effect bracing of the ankle. Finally, a panel 24 is provided coextensive with the end edge of the panel at the other end 22 thereof in order to reinforce same at the point that the panel is more likely to be grabbed when wrapping is to be effected thereby.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 3 through 9 wherein the manner in which an ankle is wrapped by the ankle wrap depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2 is illustrated in step by step fashion. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the wrapping operation is commenced by placing the male Velcro fastening tab 16 on the top of the foot's medial arch and by wrapping the medial arch with a nylon panel 15 so that the first Velcro fastening pad 20 is brought into releasable engagement with the male Velcro fastening tab 16 to define a first secure loop about the medial arch. After the first secure loop fastening is effected by the releasable engagement of the male Velcro fastener tab 16 to the female Velcro fastening pad 20 the remaining portion of the elongated panel is stretched taut and brought across the front of the ankle and around the back of the ankle to the position depicted in FIG. 4. Thereafter, as illustrated in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, and once again in FIGS. 7, 8 and 9, the remaining free portion of the panel 11 continues to be stretched and after being brought around the back of the ankle is looped under the medial arch, up and across the front of the ankle and once again around the back of the ankle. Wrapping of the ankle is thereby effected without also effecting an alternating upward and downward criss-crossing of the ankle wrap at the front of the ankle, which criss-crossing can result in cutting off the circulation of blood to the lower foot. Moreover, as illustrated in FIG. 6, when the wrap is brought up and around the front and outside of the ankle and subsequently behind the ankle, the male Velcro fastening pad 21 is positioned to be engaged by the female Velcro pad 23, after the ankle, as illustrated in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, is once again wrapped in the same manner described above, to wit, by stretching the remaining free portion of the panel and wrapping same around the back of the ankle, under the medial arch, up and across the front of the ankle and once again around the back of the ankle. When the end 22 of the panel is finally wrapped about the back of the ankle, the female Velcro pad 23 is releasably securably fastened to the male Velcro fastening pad 21 to thereby releasably lock the ankle wrap in position.

It is noted that the ankle wrap 10 illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 is for wrapping the left foot and that the angle at which the male Velcro fastening pad 16 is secured to the end 14 of the panel 12 is merely reversed for an ankle wrap designed to effect wrapping of the right ankle and foot in the aforedescribed manner.

Accordingly, the bracing effected by the instant invention is particularly designed to prevent rotation of the ankle about an imaginary horizontal front-to-back axis passing through the ankle joint. Rotation along such a front-to-back imaginary axis can result in sprains and hence the instant invention is directed to bracing the ankle against such rotation without restricting rotation about either a further horizontal, imaginary side-to-side axis through which the ankle joint rotates in walking and running or in a still further imaginary vertical axis in line with the lower leg, which rotation is utilized in pivoting and turning. Accordingly, an ankle wrap constructed in accordance with the instant invention is capable of effecting the same bracing of an ankle heretofore obtained by an adhesive "tape job" at a considerable reduction in expense due to the reusable nature of the ankle wrap.

It will thus be seen that the objects set forth, among those made apparent from the preceding description, are efficiently attained and, since certain changes may be made in carrying out the above method and in the construction set forth without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.