Heel Protector and Corresponding Rehabilitation Systems and Methods for Using the Same

Abstract

A heel protector ( 100 ) includes a leg engaging section ( 101 ) and a foot engaging section ( 102 ) intersecting at a heel receiver ( 103 ). The leg engaging section ( 101 ) and the foot engaging section ( 102 ) define a leg insertion aperture ( 104 ). The leg engaging section ( 101 ) defines at least one aperture ( 203 ) disposed in an ankle region ( 205 ) to permit a connection tube ( 1002 ) extending from an inflatable bladder ( 901 ) of a compression device ( 800 ) to pass therethrough. The heel protector ( 100 ) and compression device ( 800 ) work together as a rehabilitation system ( 1300 ).

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heel protector, comprising:
 a leg engaging section and a foot engaging section intersecting at a heel receiver, the leg engaging section and the foot engaging section defining a leg insertion aperture; and   the leg engaging section defining at least one elongated aperture reinforced with stitching about its perimeter and defining a channel permitting a connection tube extending from an inflatable bladder of a compression device to pass therethrough; and   further comprising a connection tube receiving channel configured to direct the connection tube toward an aperture disposed at the heel receiver.   
     
     
         2 . The heel protector of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one elongated aperture has a length that is at least five times its width. 
     
     
         3 . The heel protector of  claim 2 , wherein the at least elongated one aperture defines a button-hole appearance. 
     
     
         4 . The heel protector of  claim 2 , wherein the at least elongated one aperture is color-coded. 
     
     
         5 . The heel protector of  claim 4 , wherein at least one aperture is color-coded by the stitching. 
     
     
         6 . The heel protector of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one elongated aperture comprises at least two apertures positioned on a first side of the leg engaging section and at least two other apertures positioned on a second side of the leg engaging section. 
     
     
         7 . The heel protector of  claim 6 , wherein the at least two apertures and the at least two other apertures are positioned in an ankle region of the leg engaging section a predetermined distance from the foot engaging section. 
     
     
         8 . The heel protector of  claim 6 , wherein the at least two other apertures are positioned on the second side of the leg engaging section as mirror images of the at least two apertures positioned on the first side of the leg engaging section. 
     
     
         9 . The heel protector of  claim 1 , the leg engaging section defining at least two color-coded apertures disposed in an ankle region of the leg engaging section, the at least two color-coded apertures comprising a first color-coded aperture and a second color-coded aperture. 
     
     
         10 . The heel protector of  claim 9 , wherein the first color-coded aperture and the second color-coded aperture are color-coded with a common color. 
     
     
         11 . The heel protector of  claim 10 , the first color-coded aperture disposed about forty-five degrees around the leg engaging section from the second color-coded aperture. 
     
     
         12 . The heel protector of  claim 11 , further comprising a bolster defining a triangular cross section stabilizing the heel protector rotationally when the bolster is coupled to the leg engaging section. 
     
     
         13 . The heel protector of  claim 12 , the heel protector comprising a fastener disposed on an exterior of the leg engaging section, the bolster comprising a complementary fastener disposed on an exterior of the bolster, the fastener comprising one of a hook fastener or a loop fastener, the complementary fastener comprising another of the hook fastener or the loop fastener. 
     
     
         14 . A heel protector, comprising:
 a leg engaging section and a foot engaging section intersecting at a heel receiver, the leg engaging section and the foot engaging section defining a leg insertion aperture, the leg engaging section defining two color-coded apertures disposed in an ankle region and reinforced with perimeter stitching, the ankle region disposed at least a predetermined distance from the foot engaging section, wherein each color-coded aperture of the two color coded apertures defines a channel permitting a connection tube extending from an inflatable bladder of a compression device to pass therethrough;   one or more fastening straps configured to wrap from one side of the leg engaging portion across the leg insertion aperture to another side of the leg engaging portion; and   a bolster;   wherein:
 the heel protector comprises a fastener disposed on an exterior of the leg engaging section; 
 the bolster comprises a complementary fastener disposed on an exterior of the bolster; 
 the fastener comprises one of a hook fastener or a loop fastener; 
 the complementary fastener comprising another of the hook fastener or the loop fastener; and 
 the bolster defines a triangular cross section stabilizing the heel protector rotationally when the fastener is coupled to the complementary fastener. 
   
     
     
         15 . The heel protector of  claim 14 , wherein a first color-coded aperture of the at least two color-coded apertures disposed about forty-five degrees around the leg engaging section from a second color-coded aperture of the at least two color-coded apertures. 
     
     
         16 . The heel protector of  claim 15 , wherein the first color-coded aperture and the second color-coded aperture are positioned on the leg engaging section so as to allow the connection tube, when extending from an inflatable bladder of a compression device positioned within the leg engaging section at a non-orgthogonal angle, to exit medial sides of the leg engaging portion. 
     
     
         17 . The heel protector of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the first color-coded aperture is positioned as a mirror image of the second color-coded aperture reflected about a posterior aspect of the heel protector;   the heel receiver defines another aperture through which a patient's heel can be seen when the heel protector is applied to a patient leg;   the one or more fastening straps comprise four non-stretchable fastening straps affixed to the heel protector with fastener stitching and extending from sides of the heel protector, with two non-stretchable fastening straps extending from the foot engaging section and two other non-stretchable fastening straps extending from a medial side of the leg engaging section;   a lateral side of the leg engaging section defines a panel to which the two non-stretchable fastening straps can be attached anywhere along the panel;   the leg engaging section comprises a soft interior lining having a coefficient of friction sufficiently high to impede movement of the heel protector about the patient leg when the heel protector is applied to the patient leg;   
     
     
         18 . A heel protector, comprising:
 a leg engaging section and a foot engaging section intersecting at a heel receiver, the leg engaging section and the foot engaging section defining a leg insertion aperture, the leg engaging section defining two apertures disposed in an ankle region of the leg insertion aperture with one aperture disposed at least a predetermined distance from the foot engaging section while another aperture is disposed within the predefined distance from the foot engaging section with the one aperture and the another aperture each being reinforced by stitching extending round the one aperture and the another aperture, respectively, with the one aperture positioned as a mirror image of the another aperture reflected about a posterior aspect of the heel protector, wherein the one aperture and the another aperture each defines a channel permitting a connection tube extending from an inflatable bladder of a compression device to pass therethrough;   at least two fastening straps extending from a medial side of the leg engaging section and configured to wrap from the medial side side of the leg engaging portion across the leg insertion aperture to a lateral side of the leg engaging portion and attach to any portion of a panel coupled to the lateral side of the leg engaging portion.   
     
     
         19 . The heel protector of  claim 14 , wherein the stitching reinforcing the one aperture and the another aperture is color-coded with a common color. 
     
     
         20 . The heel protector of  claim 19 , further comprising at least two other fastening straps extending from the foot engaging section at least one fastening strap of the at least two other fastening straps being attachable to the any portion of the panel.