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.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A compression sock, comprising:
 a generally elongated body, wherein the body is made from a resilient elastic material configured to stretch when placed about a foot and ankle joint;   two or more toe sleeves on a distal end of the body, wherein each toe sleeve is configured to receive at least one toe; and   a toe bridge on at least one of the toe sleeves, said toe bridge being generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the toe sleeve and defining a looped opening generally transverse to the longitudinal axis.   
     
     
         2 . The compression sock of  claim 1 , wherein the sock comprises two or more toe bridges, one on each toe sleeve. 
     
     
         3 . The compression sock of  claim 1 , further comprising a binding strap configured to pass through the looped opening on the at least one toe sleeve and encircle the toe sleeve when it contains at least two adjacent toes. 
     
     
         4 . The compression sock of  claim 1 , wherein the sock comprises five toe sleeves, each toe sleeve configured to receive one toe. 
     
     
         5 . The compression sock of  claim 4 , wherein the sock comprises at least five toe bridges, each toe bridge defining a looped opening, with at least one toe bridge on each toe sleeve. 
     
     
         6 . The compression sock of  claim 5 , further comprising a binding strap configured to pass through the looped opening of at least two toe bridges on at least two adjacent toe sleeves and encircle the at least two adjacent toe sleeves when they contain at least two adjacent toes. 
     
     
         7 . The compression sock of  claim 1 , wherein the resilient elastic material is a natural latex, a polyurethane-polyurea copolymer, spandex, elastane, nylon, neoprene, lycra, polyester, or a blend of any of the preceding. 
     
     
         8 . The compression sock of  claim 7 , wherein the resilient elastic material is a polyester blend, including spandex and nylon or neoprene. 
     
     
         9 . The compression sock of  claim 1 , wherein the body comprises an ankle portion, the ankle portion exerting at least 15 mmHg compressive pressure on the ankle joint. 
     
     
         10 . The compression sock of  claim 10 , wherein the ankle portion is configured to cover the ankle joint from a first point where upper ankle ligaments attach to a leg bone, to a second point where lower ankle ligaments attach to foot bones. 
     
     
         11 . A compression sock, comprising:
 a generally elongated body, wherein the body is made from a resilient elastic material configured to stretch when placed about a foot and ankle joint;   five toe sleeves on a distal end of the body, wherein each toe sleeve is configured to receive one toe; and   at least two toe bridges, one on each of at least two adjacent toe sleeves, each of said toe bridges being generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the toe sleeves and defining a looped opening generally transverse to the longitudinal axis.   
     
     
         12 . The compression sock of  claim 11 , wherein the sock comprises at least five toe bridges, each toe bridge defining a looped opening, with at least one toe bridge on each toe sleeve. 
     
     
         13 . The compression sock of  claim 11 , further comprising a binding strap configured to pass through the looped opening of at least two toe bridges on at least two adjacent toe sleeves and encircle the at least two adjacent toe sleeves when they contain at least two adjacent toes. 
     
     
         14 . The compression sock of  claim 11 , wherein the resilient elastic material is a natural latex, a polyurethane-polyurea copolymer, spandex, elastane, nylon, neoprene, lycra, polyester, or a blend of any of the preceding. 
     
     
         15 . The compression sock of  claim 15 , wherein the resilient elastic material is a polyester blend, including spandex and nylon or neoprene. 
     
     
         16 . The compression sock of  claim 11 , wherein the body comprises an ankle portion, the ankle portion exerting at least 15 mmHg compressive pressure on the ankle joint. 
     
     
         17 . The compression sock of  claim 16 , wherein the ankle portion is configured to cover the ankle joint from a first point where upper ankle ligaments attach to a leg bone, to a second point where lower ankle ligaments attach to foot bones. 
     
     
         18 . A compression sock, comprising:
 a generally elongated body, wherein the body is made from a resilient elastic material configured to stretch when placed about a foot and ankle joint, said body comprising an ankle portion configured to cover the ankle joint from a first point where upper ankle ligaments attach to a leg bone, to a second point where lower ankle ligaments attach to foot bones, said ankle portion exerting at least 15 mmHg compressive pressure on the ankle joint;   five toe sleeves on a distal end of the body, wherein each toe sleeve is configured to receive one toe;   five toe bridges, one on each of the five toe sleeves, each of said toe bridges being generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the toe sleeve and defining a looped opening generally transverse to the longitudinal axis; and   a binding strap configured to pass through the looped opening of at least two toe bridges on at least two adjacent toe sleeves and encircle the at least two adjacent toe sleeves when they contain at least two adjacent toes.   
     
     
         19 . The compression sock of  claim 18 , wherein the resilient elastic material is a natural latex, a polyurethane-polyurea copolymer, spandex, elastane, nylon, neoprene, lycra, polyester, or a blend of any of the preceding. 
     
     
         20 . The compression sock of  claim 19 , wherein the resilient elastic material is a polyester blend, including spandex and nylon or neoprene.