Step over walking aid

Abstract

An ambulatory assistance system includes an article of footwear adapted to be worn on a foot of a user or walking aid devices; and a barrier coupled to the article of footwear such that, when the article of footwear is worn on a foot of the user, at least a portion of the barrier extends into a visually engagable region that is adjacent to a medial side of the one foot of the user, that is visible to the user, and that lies in a path of movement of another foot of the user. Further, the barrier may be coupled to the article of footwear via an attachment. Moreover, the ambulatory assistance system may be adapted for use with one or two articles of footwear.

1 . An ambulatory assistance system, comprising: 
 an article of footwear adapted to be worn on a foot of a user; and    a barrier coupled to the article of footwear such that, when the article of footwear is worn on a foot of the user, at least a portion of the barrier extends into a visually engagable region that is adjacent to a medial side of the one foot of the user, that is visible to the user, and that lies in a path of movement of another foot of the user.    
     
     
         2 . The ambulatory assistance system of  claim 1 , wherein the barrier is immovably coupled to the article of footwear.  
     
     
         3 . The ambulatory assistance system of  claim 1 , wherein the barrier is rotatably coupled to the article of footwear.  
     
     
         4 . The ambulatory assistance system of  claim 1 , wherein the barrier is slidably coupled to the article of footwear.  
     
     
         5 . The ambulatory assistance system of  claim 1 , wherein the barrier is rigid.  
     
     
         6 . The ambulatory assistance system of  claim 1 , wherein the barrier is flexible.  
     
     
         7 . The ambulatory assistance system of  claim 1 , wherein the barrier is detachably connected to the article of footwear.  
     
     
         8 . The ambulatory assistance system of  claim 7 , wherein the barrier is magnetically coupled to the article of footwear.  
     
     
         9 . The ambulatory assistance system of  claim 1 , wherein the barrier is elongated and has an axial length of about 1½-6 inches.  
     
     
         10 . The ambulatory assistance system of  claim 1 , wherein the barrier has a maximum transverse dimension of about ¼-2 inches.  
     
     
         11 . The ambulatory assistance system of  claim 1 , wherein the article of footwear includes one of a shoe, a boot, a sandal, and a sock.  
     
     
         12 . The ambulatory assistance system of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 another article of footwear adapted to be worn on the another foot of the user, wherein the article of footwear and the another article of footwear comprise a pair of articles of footwear; and    another barrier coupled to the another article of footwear such that, when the article of footwear is worn on the another foot of the user, at least a portion of the barrier extends into a visually engagable region that is adjacent to a medial side of the another foot of the user, that is visible to the user, and that lies in a path of movement of the one foot of the user.    
     
     
         13 . (canceled)  
     
     
         14 . The ambulatory assistance system of  claim 13 , wherein the barrier is immovably coupled to the attachment.  
     
     
         15 . The ambulatory assistance system of  claim 13 , wherein the barrier is rotatably coupled to the attachment.  
     
     
         16 . The ambulatory assistance system of  claim 13 , wherein the barrier is slidably coupled to the attachment.  
     
     
         17 . The ambulatory assistance system of  claim 26 , wherein the barrier is rigid.  
     
     
         18 . The ambulatory assistance system of  claim 26 , wherein the barrier is flexible.  
     
     
         19 . The ambulatory assistance system of  claim 13 , wherein the barrier is detachably connected to the attachment.  
     
     
         20 . The ambulatory assistance system of  claim 19 , wherein the barrier is magnetically coupled to the attachment.  
     
     
         21 . The ambulatory assistance system of  claim 26 , wherein the barrier is elongated and has a longitudinal length of about 1½-6 inches.  
     
     
         22 . The ambulatory assistance system of  claim 26 , wherein the barrier has a maximum transverse dimension of about ¼-2 inches.  
     
     
         23 . (canceled)  
     
     
         24 . An ambulatory assistance system, comprising: 
 a visual stimulation means for visually stimulating a user; and    means for coupling the visual stimulation means to a foot of the user such that at least a portion of the visual stimulation means extends into a visually engagable region that is adjacent to a medial side of the foot of the user, that is visible to the user, and that lies in a path of movement of another foot of the user.    
     
     
         25 . (canceled)  
     
     
         26 . An ambulatory assistance system, comprising: 
 a first attachment capable of being coupled to a first article of footwear;    a second attachment capable of being coupled to a second article of footwear;    a first barrier coupled to the first attachment such that, when the first article of footwear is worn, at least a portion of the first barrier extends into a visually engagable region of a user that is adjacent to a medial side of a first foot of the user; and    a second barrier separate from, and not connected to, the first barrier, the second barrier coupled to the second attachment such that, when the second article of footwear is worn, at least a portion of the second barrier extends into a visually engagable region of the user that is adjacent to a medial side of a second foot of the user,    wherein the first barrier lies in the path of movement of the second foot, and the second barrier lies in the path of movement of the first foot.    
     
     
         27 . An ambulatory assistance system, comprising: 
 a first visual stimulation means for visually stimulating a user;    a second visual stimulation means separate from, and not connected to, the first visual stimulation means for visually stimulating a user;    a first means for coupling the first visual stimulation means to a first foot of the user such that at least a portion of the first visual stimulation means extends into a visually engagable region that is adjacent to a medial side of the first foot of the user; and    a second means for coupling the first visual stimulation means to a second foot of the user such that at least a portion of the second visual stimulation means extends into a visually engagable region that is adjacent to a medial side of the second foot of the user,    wherein the first visual stimulation means lies in the path of movement of the second foot, and the second visual stimulation means lies in the path of movement of the first foot, and    wherein the first visual stimulation means is not attached to the second visual stimulation means.    
     
     
         28 . A method of assisting ambulatory movement, comprising: 
 wearing a first article of footwear on a first foot, the first article of footwear comprising a first attachment capable of being coupled to the first article of footwear, a first barrier coupled to the first attachment such that, when the first article of footwear is worn, at least a portion of the first barrier extends into a visually engagable region of the user that is adjacent to a medial side of the first foot of the user;    wearing a second article of footwear on a second foot, the second article of footwear comprising a second attachment capable of being coupled to the second article of footwear, a second barrier, separate from, and not connected to, the first barrier, coupled to the second attachment such that, when the second article of footwear is worn, at least a portion of the second barrier extends into a visually engagable region of the user that is adjacent to a medial side of the second foot of the user;    moving the second foot towards the first barrier; and    moving the first foot towards the second barrier,    wherein the first article of footwear is independent of the second article of footwear.