1. An orthopaedic appliance for reducing pathological tension on a patient’s peroneal nerve, comprising:
a cylindrical body configured for placement around a patient’s leg below the popliteal crease;
an adjustable strap assembly extending at least partially around the circumference of the cylindrical body; and
a protrusion having a radially inwardly facing convex surface disposed between the cylindrical body and the adjustable strap assembly and located to apply pressure on a proximal portion of the patient’s soleus muscle near its origin at the proximal fibula.
2. The orthopaedic appliance of claim 1, wherein the protrusion is positioned to apply pressure at a point between about 5.0 and 7.5 centimeters below the popliteal crease.
3. The orthopaedic appliance of claim 1, further comprising indicia on the body to guide placement of the orthopaedic appliance on the leg of the patient.
4. The orthopaedic appliance of claim 3, wherein the indicia is a marking on a front side of the body, placed to be in substantial alignment with a centerline of the patient’s knee.
5. The orthopaedic appliance of claim 1, wherein the strap assembly includes a first strap portion extending laterally from a medial side of the body and a second strap portion extending from a dorsal side of the body, extending over the protrusion and toward the first strap portion.
6. The orthopaedic appliance of claim 5, further comprising a connecting element provided to secure the first strap portion to the second strap portion.
7. The orthopaedic appliance of claim 6, wherein the connecting element is a substantially rigid eyelet.
8. The orthopaedic appliance of claim 5, further comprising a repositionable fastener to allow adjustment of tension in the strap portions.
9. The orthopaedic appliance of claim 8, wherein the repositionable fastener is a hook-and-loop type fastener.
10. The orthopaedic appliance of claim 1, wherein the strap assembly includes a resilient band that extends at least partly around the circumference of the body.
11. The orthopaedic appliance of claim 1, wherein the strap assembly includes an adjustable band that extends at least partly around the circumference of the body.
12. The orthopaedic appliance of claim 11, wherein the adjustable band includes two portions.
13. The orthopaedic appliance of claim 1, wherein the strap assembly includes a resilient component in the body of the orthopaedic appliance for exerting hoop tension around the body, to maintain a sufficient amount of inwardly directed pressure on the protrusion to impinge the proximal portion of the soleus muscle at its tibial origin to release tension on and reduce spasming thereof.
14. The orthopaedic appliance of claim 1, wherein the protrusion includes a resilient portion on an inward-facing portion thereof.
15. The orthopaedic appliance of claim 1, wherein the protrusion is smoothly contoured.
16. The orthopaedic appliance of claim 1, wherein the protrusion includes a rigid portion on the outer side thereof for providing a stable backing to exert even pressure to the soleus muscle near its origin at the fibula.
17. The orthopaedic appliance of claim 1, wherein the body is formed of a compliant material which does not impede blood circulation.
18. The orthopaedic appliance of claim 17, wherein the body is formed of a neoprene rubber.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. Apparatus for cleaning the interior surface of a containment wall containing a water pool, said apparatus comprising:
a body adapted to be immersed in said water pool;
at least one first discharge outlet on said body oriented to discharge a water flow in a direction acting to move said body in a first direction;
at least one second discharge outlet on said body oriented to discharge a water flow in a direction acting to move said body in a second direction different from said first direction; and
a propulsion subsystem for selectively providing a water flow to said first discharge outlet or said second discharge outlet, said propulsion subsystem comprising:
a valve assembly including an inlet port and first and second outlet ports, said inlet port being adapted to receive a water flow supplied by a positive pressure source, said first outlet port being coupled to said first discharge outlet, and said second outlet port being coupled to said second discharge outlet;
a valve element mounted for reciprocal linear movement between first and second positions such that said valve element in said first position closes said second outlet port and in said second position closes said first outlet port;
a hydraulic actuator for moving said valve element between said first and second positions, said actuator comprising at least one piston having first and second oppositely directed faces; and
means for selectively applying water pressure supplied by said positive pressure source to said faces to selectively move said valve element to said first position or second position.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means applying water pressure to said faces includes means continuously applying said water pressure to said second face acting in a direction to restore said valve element to said second position; and
means for selectively applying said water pressure to said first face for moving said valve element to said first position.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for applying water pressure to said first face includes a controller having a first control port and wherein said controller is operable to selectively produce said water pressure at said first control port.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said piston first face has an area larger than the area of said second face whereby an equal pressure applied to said first and second faces produces a greater force on said first face for moving said valve element to said first position.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means applying water pressure to said faces includes a controller selectively operable to apply said pressure to either said first face or said second face.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second discharge outlet includes first and second nozzles mounted on said body in spaced relationship and oriented to discharge water flows having spaced horizontal components for producing a moment to rotate said body.
7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein at least one of said nozzles is oriented to discharge a water flow having a vertical component for lifting said body.
8. Apparatus for cleaning the interior surface of a containment wall containing a water pool, said apparatus comprising:
a body adapted to be immersed in said water pool;
at least one first discharge outlet on said body oriented to discharge a water flow in a direction acting to move said body in a first direction;
at least one second discharge outlet on said body oriented to discharge a water flow in a direction acting to move said body in a second direction different from said first direction;
said second discharge outlet including first and second nozzles mounted on said body in spaced relationship and oriented to discharge water flows having spaced horizontal components for producing a moment to rotate said body; and
a propulsion subsystem for selectively providing a water flow to said first discharge outlet or said second discharge outlet.
9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein at least one of said nozzles is oriented to discharge a water flow having a vertical component for lifting said body.
10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said first and second nozzles are respectively mounted proximate to the front and rear of said body and are oriented to discharge water flows having oppositely directed horizontal components.
11. Apparatus for cleaning the surface of a water pool and the surface of a containment wall containing the water pool, said apparatus comprising:
a body adapted to be immersed in said water pool;
at least one first discharge outlet on said body oriented to discharge a water flow in a direction acting to move said body in a first direction;
at least one second discharge outlet on said body oriented to discharge a water flow in a direction acting to move said body in a second direction different from said first direction; and
at least one third discharge outlet on said body oriented to discharge a water flow in a direction acting to raise the body to the surface of said water pool;
a propulsion subsystem for selectively providing a water flow to said first discharge outlet or said second discharge outlet, said propulsion subsystem comprising:
a valve assembly comprising an inlet port and a plurality of aligned outlet ports including a center outlet port located between a first end outlet port and a second end outlet port;
said inlet port being adapted to receive a water flow supplied by a positive pressure source, said first end outlet port being coupled to said first discharge outlet, said center outlet port being coupled to said second discharge outlet, and said second end outlet port being coupled to said third discharge outlet; and
first and second aligned valve elements each mounted for reciprocal linear movement to open said center outlet port to supply a water flow to said second discharge outlet.
12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said first valve element in a first position closes said first end outlet port and opens said center outlet port and in a second position opens said first end outlet port and closes said center outlet port.
13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said second valve element in a first position closes said second end outlet port and opens said center outlet port and in a second position opens said second end outlet port and closes said center outlet port.