US1938617A - Foot support - Google Patents

Description

A. AUGUSTA FOOT SUPPORT Dec. 12, 1933.

Filed July 30, 1932 Patented Dec. 12, 1933' 7 1 93 517 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE Application July 30, 1932. Serial No. 626,685

8 Claims. (01. spa-8.5)

This invention relates to a foot support for 'tion 14, conforming to the normal contour of the use by those suffering from diseases or injuries shoe sole and ending at 15 under the ball of the of the metatarsophalangeal joint, or of the bones foot, and beneath or slightly behind the heads or joints of the phalanges anterior thereto. of the metatarsal bones; Both the top and bot- While a special shoe might be constructed, tom edges of the front end of the support may embodying the principle of my invention, I prebe slightly curved, or both may be straight, but fer to provide a support to be secured to the I prefer to have the upper edge curved, as at 15, sole of an ordinary shoe. The support conforms to accommodate it to the natural location of the to the normal contour of a foot or shoe sole and bones, and the lower edge 17 straight, as an aid extends from the rear of the foot forward'to a in Walking. The edges may be rounded off,'if

position beneath the heads of the metatarsal desired. bones. My support holds the foot in substan- The support may be fastenedto the shoe by tially normal position, but in a plane substanany suitable fastening means, the straps l6, tially higher than and parallel to the normal being shown for illustrative purposes only.

15 position. By theuse of my support the meta- In Figs. 2 and 3 the foot support 10 is shown tarsophalangeal joint is supported at such a in proper place beneath a'shoe 21, and the dotted height that the user may walk comfortably lines show the bones of a foot in normal posiwithout fiexure of that joint or of the bones or ticn within the shoe. The phalanges are indijoints anterior thereto. eated at 18, the metatarsals at 19, and the 20 I am aware that supports of various types have metatarsal heads at 20. It will be noted that been used to protect the foot of the wearer in the support ends at the point 15 adjacent climbing ladders, in shoveling, and to protect the the metatarsophalangeal joint, and preferably foot against heat and moisture. slightly to the rear thereof in a position to sup- 1 am also aware that arch supports are well port the metatarsal heads 20. The foot and shoe '25 known and worn either inside or outside the are raised from the ground but are otherwise in shoe, the latter being exemplified in Patent No. substantially normal position. The height of 1,728,219, to J. A. Smith. the support at 15 raises the foot substantially I am also familiar with the Thomas bar, as above the ground. The weight of the body is used in foot orthopedics, for the support of distributed evenly over the heel, arch and a por- 30 metatarsal bones. tion of the ball of the foot.

None of these known devices attains the re- In Walking, the heel and arch of the userare sult accomplished by my novel foot support, supported in normal position by the parts 12, 13 whereby the user'is enabled to walk in a suband 14 of the support, and the weight of the stantially normal manner and with normal cOmbody is pivoted about the point 17. The foot 35 fort, while substantially limiting or entirely premay be held sufiiciently off th ground t perventing fiexure of the joints at the metatarsal mit a normal flexure of the knee in walking and head or anterior thereto. the corresponding downward movement of the The fOllOWiIlg is a p fl Of my dev ce, 5 front portion of the foot with the transmission shown in the drawing, and the essential features f littl or n movement t th phalanges 13 or 40 Of which are Summafizd in the Claims: the metatarsophalangeal joint 1819. I have In the drawing, 1 is a general pel'spectlve found that the thickness of the support at the view of my support; Fig. 2 is an elevation showpoint 15 17 may be made approximately one support in P beneath a shoe while inch to give good results, but this dimension 3 is p1an vlew ti from below q may be varied without departing from the spirit 5 mg the support In position on a shoe. In Figs. and purpose of my invention e v an 7' port of Wood as it allows the user easily to 12: ggg 19 may be made, of any Sum change the shape to suit his individual case. 50 able material, but preferably of wood. The sup- I 61mm: port is indicated as having a substantially plane A foot support extend-mg from the rear of lower surface 11, and an upper surface, divided the T00?) a Point beneath the ball of the foot into a heel portion 12, a shoulder 13, adapted to and ending ad a nt t m tat rs pha a e l rest against the breast of the heel of a shoe and jo nt of El u ers O and d pp main- 55 to contact the arch of the sole, and a front portaining the vfoot Substantially parallel to its normal position and approximately one inch above the normal position at the said point.

2. A substantially rigid foot support extending from the rear of the foot to a point beneath the ball of the foot, and ending adjacent the metatarsophalangeal joint of a users foot, and said support maintaining the foot substantially parallel to its normal position and sufliciently above the surface walked upon to permit substantially normal flexure of the knee of the user when walking without the toes of said user being bent by contact with said surface.

3. A foot support extending from the rear of the foot to a point beneath the ball of thefoot and ending at the metatarsophalangeal joint of a users foot, the support at the latter point maintaining the foot sufliciently above thesur face walked upon to prevent fiexure of said joint when a substantially normal step is taken.

4. A foot support extending beneath the heel, arch and a portion of the ball of the foot, said support ending at a point beneath the ball of the foot adjacent the metatarsophalangeal joint of a users foot, and said support at the latter point maintaining the foot sufficiently above the surface walked upon to prevent appreciable fiexure of said joint when a normal step is taken.

5. A foot support extending beneath the heel, arch and a portion of the ball of the foot, said support ending at a point beneath the anterior heads of the metatarsal bones of a users foot and said support maintaining the foot parallel to and sufficiently above its normal walking position to prevent contact of the users toes with the ground when a substantially normal step is taken.

.upon to prevent appreciable flexure of said joint.

7. A foot support adapted to be secured to the bottom of a shoe, said support having a substantially plane lower surface and the upper surface having a portion beneath the heel, a shoulder portion adapted to contact the arch of the shoe, and a portion following the curve of the sole and ending at a point beneath the metatarsophalangeal joint of a users foot, the support at the latter point being substantially-one inch thick.

8. A foot support comprising a substantially rigid integral member having its upper surface conforming to the heel and sole of a human foot, said member ending beneath the ball of the foot, the front end of said member extending transversely of the foot and having its upper edge curved convexly forward and having its lower edge straight, and said member having lower surfaces beneath the heel and ball of the foot, said lower surfaces lying in a common plane approximately one inch below the upper front edge of said member.

ALBERT AUGUSTA.

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