Compression sock for prevention and treatment of foot and ankle injuries

Abstract

A compression sock made from resilient elastic material for the prevention and treatment of foot and ankle injuries. The compression sock having at least two toe sleeves configured to receive one or more toes on the foot. At least one of the toe sleeves having a toe bridge along an upper surface of the toe sleeve and defining a looped opening underneath the toe bridge. A strap configured to pass through the looped opening under the toe bridge so as to be wrapped around the toe sleeve and held in place by the toe bridge. An ankle portion of the sock having a greater density of resilient elastic material than any other portion of the sock so as to provide proprioceptive support to the ankle.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention is directed to a compression sock for the prevention and treatment of foot related injuries. More specifically, the compression sock of the present invention has features that address: (1) toe injuries such as turf toe, sprained toes, or broken toes; and (2) ankle sprains, among other injuries.[0002]The design of a sock, especially a sock for athletes or similarly active persons, can have a huge effect on the wearer's comfort and well-being. For example, a wrinkle, seam, rib, or similarly thick area in a sock can create local pressure, friction and / or shear forces against the underlying part of the foot, particularly when worn with shoes. A person may not sense any such thick area until damage to the foot is already done and pain or discomfort results. Continued activity just worsens the damage and increases the pain or discomfort. An athlete or similarly active person participating in a sporting event, particularly one of long ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention is a compression sock designed to treat and prevent foot and ankle injuries. The sock is made from a resilient elastic material that stretches when placed around the joint. It has toe sleeves with a toe bridge that encircles the toe and exerts compressive pressure on it. The sock can also have a binding strap that passes through the toe bridges and encircles the toe sleeves when they contain multiple adjacent toes. The ankle portion of the sock is made from more compressive material to provide more pressure on the ankle joint. The technical effects of the invention include improved compression, improved stability, and improved comfort.

Problems solved by technology

A person may not sense any such thick area until damage to the foot is already done and pain or discomfort results.

Continued activity just worsens the damage and increases the pain or discomfort.

It is also possible for an athlete to suffer from the effects of repetitive stress such as friction and skin shear which could result in blisters and reduced performance.

However, such bandages are typically separate from a sock or other protective covering that may be work on a foot.

In addition, such ankle supports typically include hard seams or openings to receive the ankle joint.

Such hard seams or openings can create the problems with pain and discomfort discussed above.

Without pre-wrap, a wearer tends to have a residue of adhesive or similar material that remains on the skin after removing the tape.

The use of pre-wrap can add unwanted time or effort to taping an ankle.

While an athlete may individually wrap injured toes with tape or similar materials, such suffers from the same drawbacks of tape discussed above.

In addition, it can be extremely difficult—if not impossible—to use pre-wrap when wrapping toes.

Individual sleeves for each toe may allow a wearer to separately wrap toes, but again the tape can leave an adhesive residue on the surface of the sock.

This adhesive residue can attract dirt and other particles make the sock particularly difficult to clean.

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