Foot orthosis

Abstract

A foot orthosis provides for a plurality of fluid or air-filled support pads or bladders attached to or incorporated within an insole in an arrangement to provide support for the foot at various points along the bottom of the foot. It also provides means for adjusting the amount of cushioning effect in each of the bladders, by inflation and deflation as desired or required. The foot orthosis can be used with a wide variety of footwear and can be used by a wide variety of patients for a wide variety of foot conditions. The present invention is also easily and readily adjustable so that it can be fitted by a foot specialist, by a store clerk or by the patient required to use them.

Based on the foregoing I claim the following:  
     
         1 . A foot orthosis comprising 
 a generally foot shaped insole having a forefoot area, an arch area, an inside edge, an outside edge and a heel area, and one or more of the following 
 a first inflatable bladder integrally formed with the insole, said first bladder being located between the forefoot area and the arch area and generally between the inside edge and the outside edge of the insole,  
 a second inflatable bladder integrally formed with the insole, said second bladder being located between the forefoot area and the heel area adjacent the inside edge of the insole, or  
 a third inflatable bladder integrally formed with the insole, said third bladder being located in the heel area of the insole and having a first arm extending forwardly along a portion of the inside edge of the insole, a second arm extending forwardly along the outside edge of the sole and an arcuate ring on the back of the heel area connecting the first and second arm.  
   
     
     
         2 . The foot orthosis of  claim 1  wherein each inflatable bladder includes means for alternately permitting or restricting flow into and out of the bladder.  
     
     
         3 . The foot orthosis of  claim 2  wherein each bladder flow means comprises a valve that alternately permits or restricts the flow of air into and out of the bladder.  
     
     
         4 . The foot orthosis of  claim 1  wherein all three bladders are formed as part of the insole.  
     
     
         5 . The foot orthosis of  claim 2  wherein each bladder flow means comprises a valve that alternatively permits or restricts the flow of any gaseous, liquid or semisolid substance into and out of the bladder.  
     
     
         6 . A foot orthosis comprising 
 a soft generally foot shaped insole having a forefoot area, an arch area, an inside, an outside and a heel area,    a metatarsal arch air bladder attached to the insole between the forefoot area and the arch area and generally between the inside and the outside of the insole,    a longitudinal arch air bladder attached to the insole between the forefoot area and the heel area on the inside of the insole, and    a horseshoe-shaped heel air bladder attached to the heel area of the insole having 
 a first arm extending forwardly along the inside periphery of the insole, a second arm extending forwardly along the outside periphery of the sole and a ring on the back of the heel area connecting the first and second arm.  
   
     
     
         7 . The foot orthosis of  claim 6  wherein each of the metatarsal air bladder, the longitudinal air bladder and the horseshoe-shaped air bladder has a means for alternately permitting or restricting the flow of air into and out of the air bladder.  
     
     
         8 . The foot orthosis system of  claim 7  wherein each of the metatarsal air bladder, the longitudinal air bladder and the horseshoe-shaped air bladder has a valve that alternately permits or restricts the flow of air into and out of the air bladder.  
     
     
         9 . The foot orthosis of  claim 7  wherein each bladder flow means comprises a valve that alternatively permits or restricts the flow of any gaseous, liquid or semisolid substance into and out of the bladder.  
     
     
         10 . A foot orthotic system comprising 
 a soft generally foot shaped insole having a forefoot area, an arch area, an inside, an outside and a heel area,    a metatarsal arch air bladder attached to the insole between the forefoot area and the arch area and generally between the inside and the outside of the insole, said metatarsal arch bladder being generally in the shape of a rounded triangle,    a longitudinal arch air bladder attached to the insole between the forefoot area and the heel area on the inside of the insole said longitudinal arch air bladder having one side generally following the insole curve on the arch side and a second generally semi-circular side extending into, and    a horseshoe-shaped heel air bladder attached to the heel area of the insole having a first arm extending forwardly along the inside periphery of the insole, a second arm extending forwardly along the outside periphery of the sole and a ring on the back of the heel area connecting the first and second arm.    
     
     
         11 . The foot orthotic system of  claim 10  wherein each of the metatarsal air bladder, the longitudinal air bladder and the horseshoe-shaped air bladder has a means for alternately permitting or restricting the flow of air into and out of the air bladder.  
     
     
         12 . The foot orthotic system of  claim 11  wherein each of the metatarsal air bladder, the longitudinal air bladder and the horseshoe-shaped air bladder each have a valve that alternately permits or restricts the flow of air into and out of the air bladder.  
     
     
         13 . A foot orthosis comprising 
 a generally foot shaped insole, said insole having a forefoot area, an arch area, an outer edge and a heel area, and    a horseshoe-shaped heel bladder formed within the heel area of the insole having a first arm extending forwardly along a portion of the outer edge of the insole, a second arm extending forwardly along another portion of the outer edge of the insole and an arcuate ring along another portion of the outer edge and on the back of the heel area connecting the first and second arm.    
     
     
         14 . The foot orthosis of  claim 13  including 
 a metatarsal arch bladder formed within the insole between the forefoot area and the arch area and generally within the outer edge of the insole, and  
 a longitudinal arch bladder formed within the insole between the forefoot area and  
 the heel area adjacent the outer edge of the insole.  
 
     
     
         15 . The foot orthosis of  claim 14  wherein each of the metatarsal bladder, the longitudinal bladder and the horseshoe-shaped bladder has a means for alternately permitting or restricting the flow of air into and out of the bladder.  
     
     
         16 . The foot orthosis of  claim 15  wherein each of the metatarsal air bladder, the longitudinal air bladder and the horseshoe-shaped air bladder each have a valve that alternately permits or restricts the flow of air into and out of the air bladder.  
     
     
         17 . The foot orthosis of  claim 16  wherein the metatarsal air bladder, the longitudinal air bladder and the heel air bladder are individually formed and attached to the insole.  
     
     
         18 . The foot orthosis of  claim 14  wherein each of the metatarsal bladder, the longitudinal bladder and the horseshoe-shaped bladder has a means for alternately permitting or restricting the flow of a gaseous, liquid or semisolid substance into and out of the bladder.  
     
     
         19 . The foot orthosis of  claim 18  wherein each of the metatarsal bladder, the longitudinal bladder and the horseshoe-shaped bladder each have a valve that alternately permits or restricts the flow of a gaseous, liquid or semisolid substance into and out of the bladder.