Tights-type leg support garment

Abstract

A leg support garment of a tights type that has stretchability and is applied in close contact with the human body so as to support the legs is provided with a stretchable part having a relatively great straining force. The stretchable part having a relatively great straining force includes a stretchable portion (A) having a relatively great straining force that substantially covers the ligamentum collateralle on a medial side of the knee joint of the human body, and on a superior side of the knee joint, extends through a length of not less than ¼ of that of the thigh, along at least one selected from the musculus group consisting of the musculus sartorius, the musculus semitendinosus, the musculus semimembranosus, and the musculus gracilis. Thus, it is possible to provide a leg support garment that is capable of effectively protecting the knees and stably maintaining the knee joints without decreasing the degree of freedom of the movement of the knee joints, that provides a good feeling when worn, and that is useful for preventing and reducing gonalgia of the knees, and further, for preventing injuries to the ligamentum collateralle medialis caused by sports or the like.

1 - 31 . (canceled)  
   
   
       32 . A leg support garment of a tights type that has stretchability and is applied in close contact with the human body so as to support the legs, the leg support garment comprising a stretchable part having a relatively great straining force, 
 wherein the stretchable part having a relatively great straining force includes a stretchable portion (A) having a relatively great straining force that: 
 substantially covers the ligamentum collateralle on a medial side of the knee joint of the human body; and  
 on a superior side of the knee joint, extends through a length of not less than ½ of that of the thigh, along at least one selected from the musculus group consisting of the musculus semitendinosus, the musculus semimembranosus, and the musculus gracilis,  
   wherein the portion (A) is either a stretchable portion (A 2 ) having a relatively great straining force or a stretchable portion (A 3 ) having a relatively great straining force,    the portion (A 2 ) being a stretchable portion having a relatively great straining force that: 
 substantially covers the ligamentum collateralle on the medial side of the knee joint of the human body;  
 extends approximately along a vicinity of a periphery of the patella on a medial side thereof so as to surround the patella through not less than approximately ¼ of the periphery of the patella and to cover at least a part of an inferior region of the patella, and reaches a side of the musculus gastrocnemius and/or the musculus soleus on the medial side; and  
 on a superior side of the knee joint, extends approximately along at least one selected from the musculus group consisting of the musculus semitendinosus, the musculus semimembranosus, and the musculus gracilis, and reaches a vicinity below the crotch or the sulcus gluteus,  
   the portion (A 3 ) being a stretchable portion having a relatively great straining force that: 
 substantially covers the ligamentum collateralle on the medial side of the knee joint of the human body;  
 extends approximately along a vicinity of a periphery of the patella on a medial side thereof so as to surround the patella through not less than approximately ¼ of the periphery of the patella and to cover at least a part of an inferior region of the patella, and reaches a side of the musculus gastrocnemius and/or the musculus soleus on the medial side; and  
 on a superior side of the knee joint, extends from a medial side to a lateral side of the thigh via a posterior side thereof approximately along the musculus semitendinosus and/or the musculus semimembranosus to a vicinity of the trochanter major, passing over the musculus biceps femoris obliquely.  
   
   
   
       33 . The leg support garment according to  claim 32 , being a garment of a tights type that has a length capable of covering at least a range from a waistline to a superior side of the ankle.  
   
   
       34 . The leg support garment according to  claim 32 , wherein the portion expressed as the stretchable portion (A 2 ) having a relatively great straining force is a stretchable portion (A 2 - 1 ) having a relatively great straining force that further covers at least a part of a superior region of the patella by extending thereto approximately from a vicinity of the periphery of the patella on the medial side of the patella.  
   
   
       35 . The leg support garment according to  claim 32 , wherein the portion expressed as the stretchable portion (A 3 ) having a relatively great straining force is a stretchable portion (A 3 - 1 ) having a relatively great straining force that further covers at least a part of a superior region of the patella by extending thereto approximately from a vicinity of the periphery of the patella on the medial side of the patella.  
   
   
       36 . The leg support garment according to  claim 32 , wherein the stretchable part having a relatively great straining force further includes a stretchable portion (B) having a relatively great straining force that: 
 extends from a side part of the waist approximately along the tractus iliotibialis via a vicinity of the trochanter major, then, approximately along the tractus iliotibialis to a lateral side of the patella;    covers at least a part of an inferior region of the patella, or at least a part of inferior and superior regions of the patella; and    passes a side of the musculus gastrocnemius and/or the musculus soleus on a lateral side of the same.    
   
   
       37 . The leg support garment according to  claim 33 , wherein: 
 the portion expressed as the stretchable portion (A) having a relatively great straining force is a stretchable portion (A 2 - 2 ) having a relatively great straining force that:    substantially covers the ligamentum collateralle on the medial side of the knee joint of the human body;    extends approximately along a vicinity of a periphery of the patella on a medial side thereof;    surrounds the patella through at least approximately ½ or more of the periphery of the patella so as to cover at least a part of inferior and superior regions of the patella, and reaches a side of the musculus gastrocnemius and/or the musculus soleus on the medial side; and    on a superior side of the knee joint, extends approximately along at least one selected from the musculus group consisting of the musculus semitendinosus, the musculus semimembranosus, and the musculus gracilis, and reaches a vicinity below the crotch and a vicinity of the sulcus gluteus;    and,    the stretchable part having a relatively great straining force further includes a stretchable portion (B′) having a relatively great straining force that:    extends from a side part of the waist approximately along the tractus iliotibialis via a vicinity of the trochanter major, then, approximately along the tractus iliotibialis to a lateral side of the patella;    surrounds the patella through approximately ½ or more of the periphery of the patella so as to cover at least a part of inferior and superior regions of the patella; and    passes a side of the musculus gastrocnemius and/or the musculus soleus on the lateral side.    
   
   
       38 . The leg support garment according to  claim 37 , wherein: 
 the stretchable portion (A 2 - 2 ) having a relatively great straining force includes two portions projecting toward the lateral side and covering a part of the inferior region and a part of the superior region of the patella, respectively;    the stretchable portion (B′) having a relatively great straining force includes two portions projecting toward the medial side and covering a part of the inferior region and a part of the superior region of the patella, respectively;    said two projecting portions of the stretchable portion (A 2 - 2 ) having a relatively great straining force are arranged at positions opposite to said two projecting portions of the stretchable portion (B′) having a relatively great straining force, respectively, the positions being slightly shifted to the inferior side from positions of said two portions of the stretchable portion (B′) having a relatively great straining force, respectively;    and    when viewed from the front, the portion of the stretchable portion (A 2 - 2 ) having a relatively great straining force that covers the inferior region of the patella has a relatively greater area.    
   
   
       39 . The leg support garment according to  claim 32 , being a garment of a tights type that has a length capable of covering at least a range from a waistline to an inferior side of the knee.  
   
   
       40 . The leg support garment according to  claim 39 , wherein the portion expressed as the stretchable portion (A) having a relatively great straining force is a stretchable portion (A 2    2 ) having a relatively great straining force that: 
 substantially covers the ligamentum collateralle on the medial side of the knee joint of the human body;    extends approximately along a vicinity of a periphery of the patella on a medial side thereof so as to surround the patella through not less than approximately ¼ of the periphery of the patella and to cover at least a part of an inferior region of the patella, and reaches a side of a superior part of the musculus gastrocnemius on the medial side; and    on a superior side of the knee joint, extends approximately along at least one selected from the musculus group consisting of the musculus semitendinosus, the musculus semimembranosus, and the musculus gracilis, and reaches a vicinity below the crotch or of the sulcus gluteus.    
   
   
       41 . The leg support garment according to  claim 40 , wherein the portion expressed as the stretchable portion (A 2   2 ) having a relatively great straining force is a stretchable portion (A 2   2 - 1 ) having a relatively great straining force that further covers at least a part of a superior region of the patella by extending thereto approximately from a vicinity of the periphery of the patella on the medial side of the patella.  
   
   
       42 . The leg support garment according to  claim 39 , wherein the portion expressed as the stretchable portion (A) having a relatively great straining force is a stretchable portion (A 2   3 ) having a relatively great straining force that: 
 substantially covers the ligamentum collateralle on the medial side of the knee joint of the human body;    extends approximately along a vicinity of a periphery of the patella on a medial side thereof so as to surround the patella through not less than approximately ¼ of the periphery of the patella and to cover at least a part of an inferior region of the patella, and reaches a side of a superior part of the musculus gastrocnemius on the medial side; and    on a superior side of the knee joint, extends from a medial side to a lateral side of the thigh via a posterior side thereof approximately along the musculus semitendinosus and/or the musculus semimembranosus to a vicinity of the trochanter major, passing over the musculus biceps femoris obliquely.    
   
   
       43 . The leg support garment according to  claim 42 , wherein the portion expressed as the stretchable portion (A 2   3 ) having a relatively great straining force is a stretchable portion (A 2   3 - 1 ) having a relatively great straining force that further covers at least a part of a superior region of the patella by extending thereto approximately from a vicinity of the periphery of the patella on the medial side of the patella.  
   
   
       44 . The leg support garment according to  claim 40 , wherein the stretchable part having a relatively great straining force further includes a stretchable portion (B 2 ) having a relatively great straining force that: 
 extends from a side part of the waist approximately along the tractus iliotibialis via a vicinity of the trochanter major, then, approximately along the tractus iliotibialis to a lateral side of the patella;    covers at least a part of an inferior region of the patella, or at least a part of inferior and superior regions of the patella; and    reaches a side of a superior part of the musculus gastrocnemius on the lateral side.    
   
   
       45 . The leg support garment according to  claim 39 , wherein: 
 the portion expressed as the stretchable portion (A) having a relatively great straining force is a stretchable portion (A 2   2 ′) having a relatively great straining force that:    substantially covers the ligamentum collateralle on the medial side of the knee joint of the human body;    extends approximately along a vicinity of a periphery of the patella on a medial side thereof;    surrounds the patella through at least approximately ½ or more of the periphery of the patella so as to cover at least a part of inferior and superior regions of the patella, and reaches a side of a superior part of the musculus gastrocnemius on the medial side;    and    on a superior side of the knee joint, extends approximately along at least one selected from the musculus group consisting of the musculus semitendinosus, the musculus semimembranosus, and the musculus gracilis, and reaches a vicinity below the crotch and a vicinity of the sulcus gluteus;    and    the stretchable part having a relatively great straining force further includes a stretchable portion (B 2 ′) having a relatively great straining force that:    extends from a side part of the waist approximately along the tractus iliotibialis via a vicinity of the trochanter major, then, approximately along the tractus iliotibialis to a lateral side of the patella;    surrounds the patella through approximately ½ or more of the periphery of the patella so as to cover at least a part of inferior and superior regions of the patella; and    reaches a side of a superior part of the musculus gastrocnemius on the lateral side.    
   
   
       46 . The leg support garment according to  claim 45 , wherein: 
 the stretchable portion (A 2   2 ′) having a relatively great straining force includes two portions projecting toward the lateral side and covering a part of the inferior region and apart of the superior region of the patella, respectively;    the stretchable portion (B 2 ′) having a relatively great straining force includes two portions projecting toward the medial side and covering a part of the inferior region and a part of the superior region of the patella, respectively;    said two projecting portions of the stretchable portion (A 2   2 ′) having a relatively great straining force are arranged at positions opposite to said two projecting portions of the stretchable portion (B 2 ′) having a relatively great straining force, respectively, the positions being slightly shifted to the inferior side from positions of said two portions of the stretchable portion (B 2 ′) having a relatively great straining force, respectively;    and    a vertex of the portion of the stretchable portion (A 2   2 ′) having a relatively great straining force that covers the inferior region of the patella is positioned at center of the patella, or slightly on a lateral side from the center.