Method and apparatus for measuring lower extremity volume

1. An apparatus for measuring volume of a lower extremity, the apparatus comprising:

a substantially elastic sock body with a leg end, a toe end, and a length between the leg end and the toe end, the sock body dimensioned to substantially snugly receive a lower extremity;

one measurement thread attached to the sock body in a manner that causes the measurement thread to wrap around the lower extremity in a spiral with multiple coils along the length of the sock body; and

one measurement gauge attached to the sock body, the measurement gauge to measure at least one attribute of the measurement thread, wherein the measured attribute corresponds to volume of the sock body.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:

the measurement thread comprises a fixed end and a movable end;

the measurement thread is substantially inelastic; and

the attribute of the measurement thread to be measured by the measurement gauge is a length attribute.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein:

the fixed end of the measurement thread is firmly attached to the sock body; and

the movable end of the measurement thread changes position, relative to the sock body, in response to expansion of the sock body.

4. An apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the measurement gauge is firmly attached to the sock body and the measurement gauge comprises an elastic anchor attached to the measurement gauge and to the movable end of the measurement thread, to keep the measurement thread taut when the lower extremity has been inserted into the sock body.

5. An apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein:

the fixed end of the measurement thread is firmly attached to the sock body near the leg end;

the measurement gauge is firmly attached to the sock body near the toe end; and

the measurement gauge comprises an elastic anchor attached to the measurement gauge and to the movable end of the measurement thread, to keep the measurement thread taut when the lower extremity has been inserted into the sock body, while allowing the movable end of the measurement thread to change positions, relative to at least a portion of the measurement gauge.

6. An apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein:

the fixed end of the measurement thread is firmly attached to the sock body near the toe end;

the measurement gauge is firmly attached to the sock body near the leg end; and

the measurement gauge comprises an elastic anchor attached to the measurement gauge and to the movable end of the measurement thread, to keep the measurement thread taut when the lower extremity has been inserted into the sock body, while allowing the movable end of the measurement thread to change positions, relative to at least a portion of the measurement gauge.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:

the measurement thread comprises a fixed end and a movable end; and

the measurement thread is attached to the measurement gauge in a manner that allows the movable end of the measurement thread to change positions, relative to at least a portion of the measurement gauge.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:

the measurement thread comprises a fixed end and a movable end;

the measurement gauge comprises a scale with multiple reference points; and

the measurement thread is attached to the measurement gauge in a manner that allows the movable end of the measurement thread to change position, relative to the reference points on the scale of the measurement gauge.

9. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:

the measurement thread comprises a fixed end, a movable end, and a scale for measuring changes in length of the measurement thread between the fixed end and the measurement gauge.

10. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:

the measurement thread is operable to conduct electricity;

at least one electrical property of the measurement thread changes in response to expansion of the sock body; and

the measurement gauge measures a change in said electrical property of the measurement thread.

11. A method for measuring volume of a lower extremity, the method comprising:

inserting a lower extremity into a measuring sock, wherein the measuring sock comprises:

a substantially elastic sock body with a leg end, a toe end, and a length between the leg end and the toe end, the sock body dimensioned to substantially snugly receive a lower extremity;

one measurement thread attached to the sock body in a manner that causes the measurement thread to wrap around the lower extremity in a spiral with multiple coils along the length of the sock body; and

one measurement gauge attached to the measurement thread, the measurement gauge to measure at least one attribute of the measurement thread, wherein the measured attribute corresponds to volume of the sock body; and

determining volume of the lower extremity, based on one reading from the measurement gauge of the measurement sock.

12. A method according to claim 11 , wherein:

the measurement thread comprises a fixed end and a movable end;

the measurement thread is substantially inelastic; and

the attribute of the measurement thread to be measured by the measurement gauge is a length attribute.

13. A method according to claim 12 , wherein:

the fixed end of the measurement thread is firmly attached to the sock body; and

the movable end of the measurement thread changes position, relative to the sock body, in response to expansion of the sock body.

14. A method according to claim 12 , wherein the measurement gauge is firmly attached to the sock body and the measurement gauge comprises an elastic anchor attached to the measurement gauge and to the movable end of the measurement thread, to keep the measurement thread taut when the lower extremity has been inserted into the sock body.

15. A method according to claim 12 , wherein:

the fixed end of the measurement thread is firmly attached to the sock body near the leg end;

the measurement gauge is firmly attached to the sock body near the toe end; and

the measurement gauge comprises an elastic anchor attached to the measurement gauge and to the movable end of the measurement thread, to keep the measurement thread taut when the lower extremity has been inserted into the sock body, while allowing the movable end of the measurement thread to change positions, relative to at least a portion of the measurement gauge.

16. A method according to claim 12 , wherein:

the fixed end of the measurement thread is firmly attached to the sock body near the toe end;

the measurement gauge is firmly attached to the sock body near the leg end; and

the measurement gauge comprises an elastic anchor attached to the measurement gauge and to the movable end of the measurement thread, to keep the measurement thread taut when the lower extremity has been inserted into the sock body, while allowing the movable end of the measurement thread to change positions, relative to at least a portion of the measurement gauge.

17. A method according to claim 11 , wherein:

the measurement thread comprises a fixed end and a movable end; and

the measurement thread is attached to the measurement gauge in a manner that allows the movable end of the measurement thread to change positions, relative to at least a portion of the measurement gauge.

18. A method according to claim 11 , wherein:

the measurement thread comprises a fixed end and a movable end;

the measurement gauge comprises a scale with multiple reference points; and

the measurement thread is attached to the measurement gauge in a manner that allows the movable end of the measurement thread to change position, relative to the reference points on the scale of the measurement gauge.

19. A method according to claim 11 , wherein:

the measurement thread is operable to conduct electricity;

at least one electrical property of the measurement thread changes in response to expansion of the sock body; and

the measurement gauge measures a change in said electrical property of the measurement thread.