초록 ▼

A back support system has a belt portion that is configured to provide back and abdominal support encircling a wearer's waist, a compression pants portion and a hot or cold pack providing therapy to a wearer's lumbosacral region. The belt portion has left and right portions and a rear portion that e

A back support system has a belt portion that is configured to provide back and abdominal support encircling a wearer's waist, a compression pants portion and a hot or cold pack providing therapy to a wearer's lumbosacral region. The belt portion has left and right portions and a rear portion that extends upwardly from a cutout of the rear portion of the compression pants and it is attached fixedly to it. The rear portion of the belt portion has a pack support structure for receiving a hot or cold pack so as to maintain hot or cold therapy on the wearer's back. A front core support structure provides abdominal support that in combination with the back support supports the entire core of the wearer's body. The garment can be changed to an immobilizing brace device by inserting optional rigid inserts.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A support garment for a wearer, said garment comprising: a compression pants portion being configured to provide support for the wearer's pelvis, legs, and groin area; anda belt portion attached fixedly to the compression pants portion and including a rear portion configured to align with, overla

1. A support garment for a wearer, said garment comprising: a compression pants portion being configured to provide support for the wearer's pelvis, legs, and groin area; anda belt portion attached fixedly to the compression pants portion and including a rear portion configured to align with, overlay, and support the lumbar region of the wearer when wearing the garment;the compression pants portion supporting thereon a core support structure configured to extend generally over the lower abdomen of the wearer when the wearer is wearing the garment;said core support structure including at least one reinforcement structure providing support for the abdomen of the wearer; andwherein the rear portion comprises a support portion of flexible elastic material having rigidifying structure, said support portion being configured such that the rigidifying structure of the support portion overlies and provides compressed support to a lumbosacral area of the wearer when wearing the garment irrespective of twisting or bending movement of the wearer, said supported lumbosacral area including L4 and L5 vertebrae of the wearer, and the support portion is configured such that the supported lumbosacral area extends substantially equal distances above and below a point midway between the L4 and L5 vertebrae; andsaid rigidifying structure and the support portion extending downward below said belt portion so as to overly and support at least a portion of the sacral area of the wearer. 2. The support garment according to claim 1, wherein the rear portion has vertically extending flexible reinforcement structures enhancing support thereof. 3. The support garment according to claim 2, wherein the belt portion includes belt securement portions each extending from a respective lateral side of the rear portion, one of said belt securement portions having an inward portion releasably securable to the core support portion or a front of the compression pants at a plurality of different positions, and an outward portion including part of a co-acting releasable securement structure, and the other of the belt securement portions having an inward facing portion with a complementary co-acting releasable securement structure allowing releasable securement to the outward portion of said one of said belt securement portions in a plurality of positions such that the wearer can adjust compression of the belt portion by selectively altering the position of releasable securement thereof. 4. The support garment according to claim 3, wherein the releasable securement is by co- acting hook surface material and unbroken loop material. 5. The support garment according to claim 3, wherein the belt securement portions support thereon reinforcement structures adjacent the core support structure when the belt portion is secured around the waist of the wearer. 6. The support garment according to claim 3, wherein the belt securement portions each include a respective panel of a second elastic material connecting with the rear portion, said second elastic material being easier to stretch than the elastic material of the rear portion. 7. The support garment according to claim 3, wherein said belt securement portions each has both hook and loop securement material surfaces facing complementary hook and loop surfaces on the opposing belt securement portion. 8. The support garment according to claim 2, wherein the rear portion is configured to support a rigid back member that immobilizes the wearer when so supported. 9. The support garment according to claim 8, wherein the core support structure includes a rigid front member that immobilizes a portion of the abdomen of the wearer. 10. The support garment according to claim 9, wherein the rigid front member is releasably secured to the core support structure so as to be removed by the wearer when not desired. 11. The support garment according to claim 10, wherein the rigid front member is releasably secured to the core support structure by co-acting hook and loop materials. 12. The support garment according to claim 2, wherein the rear portion has an inward surface facing the lumbosacral area comprised of fabric or mesh material that receives immediately rearward thereof a hot or cold pack, said hot or cold pack being configured to provide heat or cold treatment under compression of the belt to the lumbosacral area of the wearer through the fabric or mesh. 13. The support garment according to claim 12, wherein the compression pants have an upwardly disposed cutout therein around the hot or cold pack that is covered by the fabric or the mesh. 14. The support garment according to claim 1, wherein the core support portion is adapted to be laterally centered in front of the wearer when the wearer is wearing the garment and the rear portion is adapted to be laterally centered in back of the wearer when the wearer is wearing the garment. 15. The support garment according to claim 1, wherein the core support portion has flexible reinforcement members therein supporting the wearer's abdomen. 16. A support garment for a wearer, said garment comprising: a compression pants portion being configured to provide support for the wearer's pelvis, legs, and groin area; anda belt portion attached fixedly to and extending upwardly above the compression pants portion:said belt portion including a rear portion configured to overlay and support the lumbar region of the wearer;said belt portion being attached to said pants portion so as to align the rear portion with the lumbar region of the wearer;wherein the rear portion comprises a support portion of flexible elastic material configured such that the support portion overlies and supports a supported area of the wearer when wearing the garment and irrespective of twisting or bending movement of the wearer; andwherein the support portion of elastic material is configured such that the supported area over which the support portion overlies extends substantially equal distances above and below a point midway between the L4 and L5 vertebrae of the wearer; andwherein the belt portion includes first and second belt closing portions each attached to a respective lateral side of the rear portion, each of said belt closing portions extending from said rear portion to a respective belt end, said belt ends each having a respective co-acting belt securement portion, said belt securement portions being engageable with each other so as to secure the belt portion around the wearer and cause compression of the support portion onto the lumbosacral region of the wearer, andwherein the support portion is configured to extend downwardly below the belt closing portions and to overly at least a portion of the sacral area of the wearer when the support garment is worn by the wearer. 17. The support garment of claim 16, wherein the belt closing portions comprise first and second elastic portions each attached to the respective lateral sides of the rear portion, said elastic portions being of material that is thinner than the material of the rear portion. 18. The support garment of claim 17, wherein a core support portion is supported on a front of the compression pants located so as to overly the abdomen of the wearer when wearing the garment, the core support portion and the belt securement portions having coacting releasable securement structures such that one of the belt securement portions is releasably securable in a plurality' of positions to the core support portion such that tightness of the belt portion around the waist of the wearer may be selected, and the other of the belt securement portions being securable releasable over said one of the belt securement portions. 19. The support garment of claim 18, wherein the core support portion comprises a plurality of generally vertical reinforcement structures that support the abdomen of the wearer when wearing the garment. 20. The support garment of claim 19, wherein each belt securement structure has a reinforcement structure supported thereon contributing to support of the abdomen by the garment. 21. The support garment of claim 19, wherein the outer surface of said core support portion has insert-receiving structure supporting therein one or more inserts being configured to provide further support for the wearer's abdomen. 22. The support garment of claim 16, wherein the rear portion includes a layer of fabric between the support portion and the supported area of the wearer such that the layer of fabric forms a pouch configured to receive a hot or cold pack that, when inserted in said pouch overlies the L4 and L5 vertebrae of the wearer. 23. The support garment of claim 22, wherein the layer of fabric has an inward surface and an outward surface, wherein said inward surface constitutes a part of an interior surface of the garment, and the hot or cold pack when in the pocket engages the outward surface of the layer of fabric so as to transmit heat or cold to the wearer. 24. The support garment of claim 22, wherein the hot or cold pack, when inserted in said pouch, overlies a lumbosacral joint of the wearer and extends downward so that a heated or cooled area extends to at least the S1 or S2 vertebrae of the wearer and up to at least the L2 vertebra of the wearer. 25. The support garment of claim 22, wherein the compression pants portion has an upper edge that includes a downward cutout portion in front of the support portion, said layer of fabric being secured to the support portion so as to extend across said cutout. 26. The support garment of claim 16, wherein the support portion includes a rigid member that is configured to immobilize the wearer against some movements while the wearer is wearing the support garment. 27. The support garment of claim 26, wherein the rear portion has flexible reinforcement structures thereon so that the garment may be used for support when the rigid member is removed therefrom. 28. The support garment of claim 16, wherein the support portion is configured such that the support area extends down to at least the S1 vertebra of the wearer. 29. The support garment of claim 16, wherein the support portion of flexible elastic material configured has generally vertical rigidifying reinforcement members therein, said rigidifying members being spiral stays having differing bendability in different directions. 30. A support garment for a wearer, said garment comprising compression pants configured to provide support for the wearer's pelvis, legs, and groin area;a rear portion of a first elastic material affixed to said compression pants so as to align with a lumbar region of the wearer's spine when the wearer wears the compression pants;a pair of elastic segments of a second elastic material that stretches more easily than the first elastic material extending laterally from respective lateral sides of the rear portion;a pair of belt closing portions connected to ends of the elastic segments distal to the rear portion;the compression pants supporting on a forward abdominal portion thereof a core support structure having reinforcement structures therein configured to support a part of the abdomen of the wearer;the belt closing portions having co-acting securement structures by which the belt closing portions are releasably secured to each other in front of the core support portion at selectable locations so as to provide selectable amounts of compression at the rear portion and the forward abdominal portion;said rear portion having one or more vertically extending flexible reinforcement members and being configured to align with and support a lumbosacral region of the wearer centered on a midpoint between the L4 and L5 vertebrae of the wearer when the wearer is wearing the garment; andthe rear portion having an innermost surface facing the lumbosacral region of the wearer, said innermost surface comprising a layer of fabric or mesh defining behind it a pouch configured to receive a hot or cold pack such that the hot or cold pack is separated from the innermost surface only by the layer of fabric or mesh, said hot or cold pack being sized to apply hot or cold treatment under compression to said lumbosacral area of the wearer;whereby the wearer is provided with compression support of both the abdomen portion and lumbosacral area with hot or cold treatment applied to the lumbosacral area without movement thereof during activity of the wearer when wearing the garment. 31. The support garment according to claim 30, wherein the rear portion and the core support structure each has a respective removable rigidifying member operatively associated therewith, and when present, said rigidifying members immobilize the wearer against core movement. 32. The support garment according to claim 30, wherein the reinforcement structures and the reinforcement members comprise spiral stays each supported in a respective recess in the core support structure or the rear portion.