Insole for relieving plantar facsiitis pain

Abstract

An insole for insertion into footwear, including a base layer extending through a forefoot portion, a midfoot portion, and a heel portion of the insole, and an arch shell in the midfoot portion of the insole beneath the base layer, wherein the arch shell has a thickness of no more than 2 mm.

1 . An insole for insertion into footwear, comprising:
 a base layer extending through a forefoot portion, a midfoot portion, and a heel portion of the insole; and   an arch shell in the midfoot portion of the insole beneath the base layer, wherein the arch shell has a thickness of no more than 2 mm.   
     
     
         2 . The insole of  claim 1 , wherein the midfoot portion of the insole comprises a flexural stiffness of 25 pounds per inch or less. 
     
     
         3 . The insole of  claim 1 , wherein the midfoot portion of the insole comprises a flexural stiffness of 8 pounds per inch or more. 
     
     
         4 . The insole of  claim 1 , wherein the insole is configured such that the forefoot portion of the insole extends at least to distal ends of metatarsals of a foot. 
     
     
         5 . The insole of  claim 1 , wherein the heel portion is a cupped heel portion. 
     
     
         6 . The insole of  claim 1 , wherein in the midfoot portion, the base layer comprises an upwardly extending contour for supporting a foot arch. 
     
     
         7 . The insole of  claim 1 , wherein the forefoot portion has at least a first thickness and the midfoot portion has at least a second thickness that is greater than the first thickness. 
     
     
         8 . The insole of  claim 1 , wherein the base layer comprises a material having a first hardness and the arch shell comprises a material having a second hardness that is greater than the first hardness. 
     
     
         9 . The insole of  claim 1 , wherein the arch shell has a constant thickness. 
     
     
         10 . The insole of  claim 1 , comprising a heel insert in the heel portion. 
     
     
         11 . The insole of  claim 10 , wherein the arch shell comprises at least one extension located at least partially along the heel portion rearward of the forewardmost portion of the heel insert. 
     
     
         12 . The insole of  claim 1 , comprising a cover layer on at least a portion of an upper surface of the base layer. 
     
     
         13 . The insole of  claim 1 , wherein the insole is a removable insole for insertion into footwear. 
     
     
         14 . An insole for insertion into footwear, comprising:
 a base layer extending through a forefoot portion, a midfoot portion, and a heel portion of the insole; and   an arch shell in the midfoot portion of the insole beneath the base layer,   wherein the midfoot portion of the insole comprises a flexural stiffness of 25 pounds per inch or less.   
     
     
         15 . The insole of  claim 14 , wherein the midfoot portion comprises a flexural stiffness of 8 pounds per inch or more. 
     
     
         16 . The insole of  claim 14 , wherein the insole is configured such that the forefoot portion extends at least to distal ends of metatarsals of a foot. 
     
     
         17 . The insole of  claim 14 , wherein the heel portion is a cupped heel portion. 
     
     
         18 . The insole of  claim 14 , wherein in the midfoot portion, the base layer comprises an upwardly extending contour for supporting a foot arch. 
     
     
         19 . The insole of  claim 14 , wherein the forefoot portion has at least a first thickness and the midfoot portion has at least a second thickness that is greater than the first thickness. 
     
     
         20 . The insole of  claim 14 , wherein the base layer comprises a material having a first hardness and the arch shell comprises a material having a second hardness that is greater than the first hardness. 
     
     
         21 . The insole of  claim 14 , wherein the arch shell has a constant thickness. 
     
     
         22 . The insole of  claim 14 , comprising a heel insert in the heel portion. 
     
     
         23 . The insole of  claim 22 , wherein the arch shell comprises at least one extension located at least partially along the heel portion rearward of the forewardmost portion of the heel insert. 
     
     
         24 . The insole of  claim 14 , comprising a cover layer on at least a portion of an upper surface of the base layer. 
     
     
         25 . The insole of  claim 14 , wherein the insole is a removable insole for insertion into footwear. 
     
     
         26 . A set of removable insoles comprising:
 at least one removable insole comprising:
 a base layer extending through a forefoot portion, a midfoot portion, and a heel portion of the insole; and 
 an arch shell in the midfoot portion of the insole beneath the base layer, wherein the arch shell has a thickness of no more than 2 mm. 
   
     
     
         27 . The set of insoles of  claim 26 , comprising instructions for using the set of removable insoles for relieving plantar fasciitis pain.