Lipowear

Abstract

Contemplated padded undergarments are form-fitted and have a higher than normal ratio of waist circumference to leg circumference and include a padded area that covers substantially the entire contact area of buttocks and legs with a chair when a person wearing such undergarment is sitting on the chair. Such undergarments are particularly advantageous to provide symptomatic relief for a person diagnosed with HIV infection, a neoplastic disease, chronic diabetes, and / or advanced age, which is typically accompanied by lipoatrophy, lipodystrophy, and / or sarcopenia.

Description

[0001]This application claims the benefit of our copending U.S. patent application with the Ser. No. 11 / 277,818, which was filed Mar. 29, 2006.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The field of the invention is functional clothing, especially as it relates to undergarments with a padding that is configured to alleviate symptomatic discomfort associated with various conditions, and particularly lipodystrophy, lipoatrophy, and / or sarcopenia.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]Various conditions and diseases are associated with loss or maldistribution of body mass, and especially fat and muscle tissue. For example, long-term treatment of patients infected with the HIV virus is often accompanied by lipodystrophy, lipoatrophy, and / or sarcopenia. Similar problems are also encountered by patients undergoing chemotherapy for treatment of cancer, and / or long-term diabetes patients.[0004]While pain due to lipodystrophy, lipoatrophy, peripheral neuropathy, and / or sarcopenia can be treated with analgesics, ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010]In another aspect of the inventive subject matter, a method of providing symptomatic relief for a person suffering from HIV infection, chronic diabetes, neoplastic disease, lipoatrophy, lipodystrophy, and / or sarcopenia will comprise a step of providing the form-fitted undergarment according to inventive subject matter and a further optional step of informing the person that the undergarment reduces symptomatic discomfort associated with the conditions indicated above. Moreover, contemplated undergarments may also be of significant advantage where the patient is a geriatric patient as advanced age is often accompanied by loss of muscle tissue and / or fatty tissue in the buttocks and / or legs.

[0011]Alternatively, or additionally, a method of providing improved sitting comfort to a person is contemplated in which a form-fitted undergarment having a waist portion, a leg portion, and a padded area is provided, wherein the padded area is configured to provide protection extending from an upper area of the waist portion to a lower area of the leg portion such that the area of the buttocks and legs of a person contacting a seat (while sitting on a chair) are substantially completely (i.e., at least 90%, more typically at least 95%) covered by the padded area. In another step, the person is informed that the undergarment will provide reduction in at least one of pain, numbness, local hemostasis, and deep vein thrombosis when the garment is worn during a prolonged period of sitting (e.g., over at least one, more typically at least two, and most typically at least three hours). Most preferably, the padded area in such methods has an average thickness of between 0.5 inch to 1 inch, and is contoured to have a thinner than average thickness in a peripheral area of the padded area. Furthermore, it is generally preferred that the padded area is configured as an independent right and left area, wherein each area includes a removable pad.

Problems solved by technology

Similar problems are also encountered by patients undergoing chemotherapy for treatment of cancer, and / or long-term diabetes patients.

While pain due to lipodystrophy, lipoatrophy, peripheral neuropathy, and / or sarcopenia can be treated with analgesics, drug therapy is often not desirable due to high costs and / or side effects of the drugs.

Most significantly, loss of body mass, and especially loss of fatty tissue in the buttocks and legs typically lead to tenderness, and more typically severe pain in such patients which transforms routine daily activities (e.g., sitting on a chair, lacing shoes) into a challenge.

Thus, the quality of life is significantly reduced and even prevents at least some of these patients from participation in ordinary daily life.

Remarkably, there are numerous garments known in the art that increase sitting comfort of a person on bicycle seat or provide cushioning for sports activities, however, none of them has been shown to substantially alleviate personal discomfort for patients having lipodystrophy, lipoatrophy, peripheral neuropathy, and / or sarcopenia.

Clearly, such undergarment is not suitable for patients with lipodystrophy, lipoatrophy, peripheral neuropathy, and / or sarcopenia and further fails to significantly cushion affected areas.

While such garments are generally suitable for their intended purpose, the padding is either too small to effectively protect back and legs of a person, or the sports garment is too bulky to be worn as undergarment.

While such shorts typically significantly improve sitting comfort on a bicycle seat, the cushioning area is limited to the crotch area, which is of little or no help to a person suffering from lipodystrophy, lipoatrophy, peripheral neuropathy, and / or sarcopenia.

Therefore, while numerous padded pants and undergarments are known in the art, all or almost all of them suffer from one or more disadvantages.

Images