Patent ID: 7458948
Filing Date: 2008-12-02
Classification: A61F

Abstract:
1. A heel-supporting boot for a person lying in a supine position, the boot comprising: a body formed of a flexible and compressible foam material having a leg portion, a forefoot portion contiguous with and projecting from the leg portion in a transverse direction thereto, a continuous cavity defined by and within the leg and forefoot portions, an anterior opening defined in the leg and forefoot portions to permit a patient's foot and lower leg to pass therethrough into the cavity, and oppositely-disposed lateral regions defined by the leg portion and separated by the anterior opening, the anterior opening being bounded by lateral rims defined by the lateral regions and a forefoot rim defined by the forefoot portion, the cavity within the lower leg and forefoot portions being complementary in size and shape so that the leg portion supports the patient's lower leg, the heel of the patient's foot is suspended within the cavity to reduce heel pressure, and the forefoot portion supports the patient's foot in an upright position to prevent foot drop; means for adjustably closing a portion of the anterior opening in the leg potion with the lateral regions of the leg portion; and a stitch pattern comprising at least a first stitch disposed along substantially the entire forefoot rim bounding the anterior opening, the stitch pattern thickness-wise narrowing and compressing the foam material along the forefoot rim so that the first stitch is recessed in opposite surfaces of the foam material, the stitch pattern being sufficiently close to the forefoot rim to structurally reinforce the forefoot rim and inhibit elastic and plastic deformation of the forefoot portion.