Patent ID: 7621881

Claim:
A method of donning a potentiating support for a hinge joint, comprising the steps of: (a) positioning a flexible, elastically stretchable framework of the support in abutment with an area of a body such that the framework spans a hinge joint of the body, the framework comprising an integrally molded network of interconnected, elastomeric segments, and including: (i) left and right sides comprising first and second exterior lateral segments and top and bottom sides comprising first and second exterior transverse segments, which left, right, bottom and top sides collectively define a perimeter of the framework, (ii) first, second, third, and fourth interior, mutually exclusive subsets of transverse segments, each of which extends between and interconnects the left and right sides of the perimeter of the framework, (iii) first and second interior, mutually exclusive subsets of lateral segments, each of which extends between and interconnects the top side of the perimeter of the framework and the second interior subset of transverse segments, and each of which intersects and interconnects the first interior subset of transverse segments, and (iv) third and fourth interior, mutually exclusive subsets of lateral segments, each of which extends between and interconnects the bottom side of the perimeter of the framework and the second interior subset of transverse segments, and each of which intersects and interconnects the third and fourth interior subsets of transverse segments, (v) wherein each subset of segments comprises one or more segments; (b) applying tension proximate the left and right sides of the perimeter of the framework such that the framework is expanded and the framework is tensioned in its abutment with the area of the body; and (c) securing the expanded framework in its forced abutment with the area of the body using a fastening mechanism.