Reconfigurable orthopedic sleep aids

Abstract

Reconfigurable orthopedic sleep aids adapted to be worn by a patient about the hips and legs, knees, a portion of the back, a shoulder, and or another symptomatic anatomical location for injury prevention, trauma amelioration, and optimized comfort, and when applicable for reduced periods of post-trauma convalescence. The sleep aids incorporate a stretchable, stretchably conformable, or loose fitting garment, such as a girdle or trouser that is adapted to be worn during sleep. The garment includes one or more attachments and bears a coordinate indicia pattern, and orientation indicia that can correspond to an anatomical location of the patient. The sleep aid also includes a substantially compressible annular pad or pads formed with a generally toroidal or wedge-shaped cross section. The pads are configured with indicia and to distribute the contact stress away from the symptomatic location and to surrounding tissues.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A reconfigurable orthopedic sleep aid, adapted to be worn by a patient about the hips, comprising: 
 a garment adapted to substantially surround the hip and having at least one attachment; and    at least one substantially compressible pad having a generally annular profile and a generally toroidal cross sectional profile, the at least one pad configured to be carried from the attachment proximate to a one area of the greater trochanteric areas of the hip of the patient to, when the patient assumes a lateral recumbent position, distribute the weight of the patient away from the greater trocanter area and to surrounding tissues, the at least one pad also bearing reference indicia adapted to establish at least one placement position on the garment and to generally correspond to an anatomical location of the patient selected from the group including a greater trocanter of the hip, a posterior superior iliac crest, a coccyx, and an anterior ventral position medially aligned with the navel, and combinations thereof    
     
     
         2 . The reconfigurable orthopedic sleep aid of  claim 1 , further comprising: an interior surface of the garment being conformally formed as the at least one attachment.  
     
     
         3 . The reconfigurable orthopedic sleep aid of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one attachment is substantially formed from a dermally comfortable pile material compatible for use as a loop portion of a hook and loop type fastener assembly, and wherein the at least one pad further incorporates a hook portion of the fastener assembly.  
     
     
         4 . The reconfigurable orthopedic sleep aid of  claim 1 , further comprising: an exterior surface of the garment being conformally formed as the at least one attachment.  
     
     
         5 . The reconfigurable orthopedic sleep aid of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one attachment is substantially formed from a dermally compatible adhesive material, and wherein the at least one pad further incorporates a releasable dermally compatible material that adheres to the adhesive to fix the position of the at least one pad relative to the garment.  
     
     
         6 . The reconfigurable orthopedic sleep aid of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one pad further incorporates a dermally compatible adhesive material, and wherein the attachment is substantially formed from a releasable dermally compatible material that adheres to the adhesive to fix the position of the at least one pad relative to the garment.  
     
     
         7 . The reconfigurable orthopedic sleep aid of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one pad is formed with generally tapered edges about inner and outer peripheries and to have a generally curvilinear profile that defines an interior recess also having a generally curvilinear profile.  
     
     
         8 . A reconfigurable orthopedic sleep aid, adapted to be worn by a patient about the hips, comprising: 
 a garment adapted to substantially surround the hip and having at least one attachment; and    at least one generally wedge shaped substantially compressible pad configured to be carried from the attachment proximate a gluteal fold of the patient to, when the patient assumes a supine recumbent position, effect posterior tilt of the pelvis to decrease the lordotic position of the back, the at least one wedge also bearing reference indicia adapted to establish at least one placement position on the garment, wherein the reference indicia generally correspond to an anatomical location of the patient selected from the group including the gluteal fold, a greater trocanter of the hip, a posterior superior iliac crest, and a coccyx, and a posterior dorsal position medially aligned beneath the navel, and combinations thereof.    
     
     
         9 . The reconfigurable orthopedic sleep aid of  claim 8 , further comprising: an interior surface of the garment being conformally formed as the at least one attachment.  
     
     
         10 . The reconfigurable orthopedic sleep aid of  claim 8 , further comprising: an exterior surface of the garment being conformally formed as the at least one attachment.  
     
     
         11 . The reconfigurable orthopedic sleep aid of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one attachment is substantially formed from a dermally comfortable hook portion compatible for use as part of a hook and loop type fastener assembly, and wherein the at least one wedge further incorporates a dermally comfortable pile material of the fastener assembly.  
     
     
         12 . The reconfigurable orthopedic sleep aid of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one attachment is substantially formed from a dermally compatible adhesive material, and wherein the at least one wedge further incorporates a releasable dermally compatible material that adheres to the adhesive to fix the position of the at least one wedge relative to the garment.  
     
     
         13 . The reconfigurable orthopedic sleep aid of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one wedge further incorporates a dermally compatible adhesive material, and wherein the attachment is substantially formed from a releasable dermally compatible material that adheres to the adhesive to fix the position of the at least one wedge relative to the garment.  
     
     
         14 . The reconfigurable orthopedic sleep aid of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one wedge is formed with generally tapered edges about it periphery and to have a generally tapered cross-sectional profile that defines a generally curvilinear path.  
     
     
         15 . The reconfigurable orthopedic sleep aid of  claim 8 , further comprising: two generally wedge shaped substantially compressible pads adapted to be respectively carried from the garment proximate respective gluteal folds of the patient.  
     
     
         16 . A reconfigurable orthopedic sleep aid, adapted to be worn by a patient about a knee joint, comprising: 
 a garment adapted to substantially conform to and surround the knee joint and having at least one attachment; and    at least one substantially compressible pad having a generally annular profile and a generally toroidal cross sectional profile, the at least one pad configured to be carried from the attachment proximate a medio-lateral aspect of the knee joint to, when the patient assumes a lateral recumbent position, distribute the weight of the patient away from the medio-lateral aspect and to surrounding tissues, the at least one pad also bearing reference indicia adapted to establish at least one placement position on the garment, and to generally correspond to an anatomical location of the patient selected from the group including a medial and a lateral border of the patella, a lateral and a medial compartment of a respective inferior and superior knee joint, and a hamstring tendon of the knee joint, and combinations thereof    
     
     
         17 . The reconfigurable orthopedic sleep aid of  claim 16 , further comprising: an interior surface of the garment being conformally formed as the at least one attachment.  
     
     
         18 . The reconfigurable orthopedic sleep aid of  claim 16 , further comprising: an exterior surface of the garment being conformally formed as the at least one attachment.  
     
     
         19 . The reconfigurable orthopedic sleep aid of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one attachment is substantially formed from a dermally comfortable pile material compatible for use as a loop portion of a hook and loop type fastener assembly, and wherein the at least one pad further incorporates a hook portion of the fastener assembly.  
     
     
         20 . The reconfigurable orthopedic sleep aid of  claim 16 , wherein the attachment and the at least one pad in combination incorporate a fastener assembly formed from a releasable adhesive and adherent material adapted to fix the position of the at least one pad relative to the garment.