Integrated medical shoe device

Abstract

This invention generally relates to a shoe where an orthopedic adjustment is integrated into the construction of the shoe itself. The invention entails adjusting one or more of the soles or other construction features of the shoe in order to accommodate a medical condition or treatment regimen. For instance, in abnormalities of the knee joint, there is a need to redistribute the weight of the body from an afflicted symptomatic compartment of the knee to an un-afflicted and asymptomatic, or lesser effected and less symptomatic compartment so as to relieve the pain and stress at the most afflicted and most symptomatic compartment. The present invention achieves this by pitching the sole or heel, or both, of a shoe, where the pitching region depends on the portion of the knee that is afflicted, and the angle is chosen to counter and redistribute the weight of the body accordingly.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A shoe sole comprising:
 An inner portion (insole), a middle portion (midsole) and an outer portion (outsole), wherein,
 said outer portion is in contact with a walking surface; 
 said middle portion is between the inner and outer portions; 
 said inner portion is on a side of said middle portion, opposite to that of said outer portion; 
 at least one of said portions comprises one or more layered sections;
 at least one of said sections further comprises one or more regions, wherein:
 at least one of said regions being an angled region having an angled wedge or angled wedge effect; 
 each said angled region being wedged independently of adjoining regions; 
 
 
 said inner, middle and outer portions contouring a load bearing surface within the shoe. 
   
     
     
         2 . The shoe sole of  claim 1 , wherein:
 said middle portion comprises one or more regions;
 at least one of said regions being an angled region having an angled wedge or angled wedge effect; 
 said angle being greater than zero. 
   
     
     
         3 . The shoe sole of  claim 2 , wherein:
 said regions, angled regions and angles are selected so that said contoured load bearing surface redistributes the load at the knee joint of a person wearing a shoe comprising said sole, for the purposes of treating ailments in the knee, to slow the progression of degenerative joint disease in the knee, or to improve athletic or ambulatory performance during lateral cutting, lateral cornering, or lateral push off.   
     
     
         4 . The shoe sole of  claim 2 , wherein:
 said regions, angled regions and angles are selected so that said contoured load bearing surface redistributes the load at the ankle joint of a person wearing a shoe comprising said sole, to decrease risk of ankle eversion or inversion injuries.   
     
     
         5 . The shoe sole of  claim 1 , wherein:
 said portions form a single composite layer integrated into said sole.   
     
     
         6 . A shoe heel comprising:
 an inner portion, a middle portion and an outer portion, wherein,
 said outer portion is in contact with a walking surface; 
 said middle portion is between the inner and outer portions; 
 said inner portion is on a side of said middle portion, opposite to that of said outer portion; 
 at least one of said portions comprises one or more layered sections;
 at least one of said sections further comprises one or more regions, wherein:
 at least one of said regions being an angled region having an angled wedge; 
 each said angled region being wedged independently of adjoining regions; 
 
 
 said inner, middle and outer portions contouring a load bearing surface within the shoe. 
   
     
     
         7 . The shoe heel of  claim 6 , wherein:
 said middle portion comprises one or more regions;
 at least one of said regions being an angled region having an angled wedge; 
 said angle being greater than zero. 
   
     
     
         8 . The shoe heel of  claim 7 , wherein:
 said regions, angled regions and angles are selected so that said contoured load bearing surface redistributes the load at the knee joint of a person wearing a shoe comprising said heel, for the purposes of treating ailments in the knee, to slow the progression of degenerative joint disease in the knee, or to improve athletic or ambulatory performance during lateral cutting, lateral cornering, or lateral push off.   
     
     
         9 . The shoe heel of  claim 7 , wherein:
 said regions, angled regions and angles are selected so that said contoured load bearing surface redistributes the load at the ankle joint of a person wearing a shoe comprising said heel, to decrease risk of ankle eversion or inversion injuries.   
     
     
         10 . The shoe heel of  claim 6 , wherein:
 said portions form a single composite layer integrated into said heel.   
     
     
         11 . The shoe heel of  claim 6 , wherein:
 said heel is removably attached to a shoe sole.   
     
     
         12 . A shoe comprising:
 the sole of  claim 1 .   
     
     
         13 . The shoe of  claim 12 , further comprising the shoe heel of  claim 6 . 
     
     
         14 . The shoe of  claim 12 , wherein:
 said heel and said sole form a single composite layer.   
     
     
         15 . The shoe of  claim 12 , wherein:
 said heel is removably attached to said sole.   
     
     
         16 . A shoe comprising the shoe heel of  claim 6 . 
     
     
         17 . The shoe of  claim 16 , wherein:
 said heel is removably attached to the shoe.