Foot Support For Alleviating Knee Pain

Abstract

A foot support is disclosed. The foot support may be a shoe insert including a depression underlying the first proximal phalange and/or the first metatarsal head, a raised medial arch support, and a medial heel post.

1 . A full-length pre-manufactured shoe insert, comprising:
 a compressible foam body having
 a forefoot region configured to underlie the metatarsal heads and proximal phalanges of a wearer's foot, the forefoot region having a toe-lowering section configured to underlie at least one of a first proximal phalange, a first distal phalange, and a first metatarsal head of a wearer's foot, 
 a heel region configured to underlie the heel of the wearer's foot, the heel region having a medial post, and 
 a midfoot region disposed between the forefoot region and the heel region, the midfoot region having a raised portion configured to underlie the medial arch of the wearer's foot; and 
   a support member underlying and coupled to the heel region and at least part of the midfoot region of the body, the support member having greater stiffness than the compressible foam body;   wherein the support body has an aperture underlying the heel region of the body, the body extending into the aperture.   
     
     
         2 . A full-length shoe insert, comprising:
 a body having a forefoot region configured to underlie the metatarsal heads and proximal phalanges of a wearer's foot;   a raised arch support configured to underlie and provide support to the medial arch of the wearer's foot; and   a toe-lowering section in the forefoot region configured to underlie at least the first proximal phalange but less than all of the proximal phalanges of the wearer's foot.   
     
     
         3 . The full-length shoe insert of  claim 2 , wherein the toe-lowering section extends in a rearward direction to at least the first metatarsal head. 
     
     
         4 . The full-length shoe insert of  claim 3 , wherein the toe-lowering section extends to a forward edge of the forefoot region. 
     
     
         5 . The full-length shoe insert of  claim 2 , further comprising a heel region configured to underlie the heel of the wearer's foot, the heel region having a medial post. 
     
     
         6 . The full-length shoe insert of  claim 5 , wherein the medial post is between 1° and 8°. 
     
     
         7 . The full-length shoe insert of  claim 6 , wherein the medial post is between 3° and 6°. 
     
     
         8 . The full-length shoe insert of  claim 7 , wherein the medial post is approximately 4.5°. 
     
     
         9 . The full-length shoe insert of  claim 2 , wherein the toe-lowering section comprises a depression. 
     
     
         10 . The full-length shoe insert of  claim 9 , wherein the depression is disposed on a bottom surface of the body, the bottom surface configured to face away from the wearer's foot. 
     
     
         11 . The full-length shoe insert of  claim 2 , wherein the toe-lowering section comprises an area formed from a material of greater compressibility than areas of the forefoot region adjacent to the tow-lowering section. 
     
     
         12 . The full-length shoe insert of  claim 2 , wherein the body is made of a foam having a shore OO hardness between 40 and 60. 
     
     
         13 . The full-length shoe insert of  claim 12 , wherein the foam has a shore OO hardness of approximately 47. 
     
     
         14 . The full-length shoe insert of  claim 2 , wherein the body is made of a foam having a cushioning energy of between 50 and 200 N-mm. 
     
     
         15 . The full-length shoe insert of  claim 14 , wherein foam has a cushioning energy of approximately 80 N-mm. 
     
     
         16 . A shoe insert, comprising:
 a forefoot region configured to underlie at least par of a wearer's foot;   a toe-lowering section in the forefoot region configured to underlie at least one of the first metatarsal head and the first proximal phalange;   an arch support configured to underlie and support the wearer's medial arch;   a heel region configured to underlie the heel of the wearer's foot; and   a medial post in the heel region.   
     
     
         17 . The shoe insert of  claim 16 , wherein the shoe insert is a full-length shoe insert. 
     
     
         18 . The shoe insert of  claim 17 , further comprising at least one cut line, wherein the at least one cut line corresponds to a respective shoe size, such that the shoe insert may fit multiple shoe sizes. 
     
     
         19 . The shoe insert of  claim 18 , wherein the toe-lowering section is configured to underlie the first metatarsal head of the wearer, the wearer's foot corresponding to the smallest of the multiple shoe sizes. 
     
     
         20 . A full-length shoe insert, comprising:
 a body having a forefoot region configured to underlie the metatarsal heads and proximal phalanges of a wearer's foot;   a raised arch support configured to underlie and provide support to the medial arch of the wearer's foot,   a toe-lowering section in the forefoot region configured to underlie at least the first proximal phalange but less than all of the proximal phalanges of the wearer's foot; and   a heel section configured to invert the wearer's subtalar joint when the insert is worn.   
     
     
         21 . The full-length shoe insert of  claim 20 , wherein the heel section is configured to invert the wearer's subtalar joint by between 1° and 8°. 
     
     
         22 . The full-length shoe insert of  claim 21  wherein the heel section is configured to invert the wearer's subtalar joint by between 3° and 6°. 
     
     
         23 . The full-length shoe insert of  claim 22 , wherein the heel section is configured to invert the wearer's subtalar joint by approximately 4.5°. 
     
     
         24 . The full-length shoe insert of  claim 20 , wherein the body is made of a foam having a shore OO hardness between 40 and 60. 
     
     
         25 . The full-length shoe insert of  claim 24 , wherein the foam has a shore OO hardness of approximately 47. 
     
     
         26 . The full-length shoe insert of  claim 20 , wherein the body is made of a foam having a cushioning energy of between 50 and 200 N-mm. 
     
     
         27 . The full-length shoe insert of  claim 26 , wherein foam has a cushioning energy of approximately 80 N-mm. 
     
     
         28 . A full-length pre-manufactured shoe insert, comprising:
 a full-length compressible foam body having a shore OO hardness less than 60; and   a heel region having a medial post.   
     
     
         29 . The full-length pre-manufactured shoe insert of  claim 28 , wherein the shore OO hardness is approximately 47. 
     
     
         30 . The full-length pre-manufactured shoe insert of  claim 28 , wherein the shore OO hardness is 47. 
     
     
         31 . The full-length pre-manufactured shoe insert of  claim 28 , wherein the medial post between 1° and 8°. 
     
     
         32 . The full-length pre-manufactured shoe insert of  claim 31 , wherein the medial post is between 3° and 6°. 
     
     
         33 . The full-length pre-manufactured shoe insert of  claim 32 , wherein the medial post is approximately 4.5°. 
     
     
         34 . The full-length pre-manufactured shoe insert of  claim 28 , further comprising:
 a toe-lowering section in the forefoot region configured to underlie at least the first proximal phalange but less than all of the proximal phalanges of the wearer's foot.   
     
     
         35 . The full-length pre-manufactured shoe insert of  claim 34 , wherein the toe-lowering section includes a depression in at least one of the top and the bottom of the full length compressible foam body.