Foot stretching device

A foot stretching device having a base member, an upright member and a heelpiece. The base member has a top face, a bottom face, a first end, and a second end. In an assembled state, the upright member extends from the first end in a direction opposite the bottom face. The upright member and base member form a right angle. The heelpiece is removably attached to the top face of the base member between the first and second ends. During use, the device is arranged relative to a corner formed between a floor and wall of a room such that the bottom face of the base member rests on the floor and the upright member bears against the wall.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to personal stretching devices. More particularly, it relates to portable foot stretching devices for personal use, for example in the treatment of plantar fasciitis.

Plantar fasciitis is a common ailment that causes pain in the heel of the foot. Because the plantar fascia extends along the arch on the bottom of the foot, the pain associated with plantar fasciitis is typically experienced when walking or putting pressure onto the bottom of the foot.

Treatment of plantar fasciitis may include rest, ice, medications, shoe wear modifications, and/or physical therapy. Exercises that treat plantar fasciitis aim to stretch the foot and ankle, and usually focus on stretching the Achilles tendon and plantar fascia.

A typical stretch to treat plantar fasciitis is performed by pulling the toes backwards towards the ankle and shin, thus elongating the plantar fascia. The foot should be held in this position for 10 to 20 seconds, and repeated several times. Often, this stretch requires a person to be seated to maintain balance. Additionally, this stretch may be performed by placing a towel under the ball of the foot and pulling backwards on the ends of the towel in order to pull the toes towards to ankle and shin. Another typical plantar fascia and calf stretch is performed while standing on a step. The stretch is performed by balancing the toes on the edge of the step, with the heel overhanging the edge of the step. Next, the heel is lowered slowly over the edge of the step. The bottom of the foot and the muscles in the back of the leg will stretch as the heel is lowered towards the floor. The stretch should be held for 10 to 20 seconds. These exercises may fail to properly stretch the foot and ankle, and do not always result in resolution of the patient's symptoms.

A variety of therapeutic devices that facilitate the stretching of the heel exist for treatment of plantar fasciitis. Some plantar fasciitis treatment devices act as a brace or splint to hold the foot in a stretched position with the toes pulled backwards towards the shin for an extended period of time. These devices are most useful when the user is immobile for a long period of time, i.e. overnight. Other plantar fasciitis devices utilize a wedge or angled platform that lifts the foot upwards or backwards towards the shin to stretch the heel. These devices are limited in their use because they often define a single angle or few angles, which may not be the optimum angle for a particular patient. Additionally, these devices may be bulky and not easy to store for in-home use.

Therefore, there is a need to provide a device that can enable a proper foot and ankle stretch to treat plantar fasciitis and is easily transportable.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description describes embodiments of a foot stretching device including a base member, an upright member, and a heelpiece.

FIG. 1illustrates one embodiment of a foot stretching device20in accordance with principles of the present disclosure. The foot stretching device20shown comprises a base member22, an upright member24, and a heelpiece26. Details on the various components22-26are described in greater detail below. In general terms, the base member22is connected to the upright member24in the assembled state ofFIG. 1, arranged at an angle highly conducive to placement at a corner formed between a floor and a wall as commonly found the room of any home, office, etc. The heelpiece26is connected to the base member22at a location relative to the upright member24as desired by the user (e.g., to best-accommodate a size of the user's foot). During use, the foot stretching device20, in the assembled state, is placed at the corner of a room (i.e., a corner formed by the floor and a wall of the room), with the base member22resting against the floor and the upright member24in contact with the wall. The user arranges his/her foot such that a heel of the foot is against the heelpiece26and a forefoot (e.g., toes and/or ball) of the foot is against the upright member24. By then leaning forward and/or pressing down on the toes, an efficient foot, heel, and calf stretch is achieved. Generally, the force of the upright member24against the wall and the force of the base member22against the floor hold the foot stretching device20in place during use. In an optional storage state (not shown) of the device20, the base member22is disassembled from the upright member24; the base member22and the upright member24can then be laid against one another in a more compact footprint conducive to storage.

The base member22has an elongated shape, defining a top face32opposite a bottom face33(referenced generally), and a first end34opposite a second end35. A majority of the top face32can be substantially flat and planar (i.e., within 10% of a truly flat and planar surface) in extension from the second end35toward the first end34. The first end34is configured for coupling to the upright member24as described in greater detail below. With this in mind, in a region of the first end34, a shape of the base member22along the top face32can transition upwardly (relative to the bottom face33) so as to locate the upright member24upwardly relative to the top face32(in the assembled state), optionally forming a right angle between the base member22and the upright member24(e.g., a plane of the bottom face33and a plane of the upright member24are perpendicular). The heelpiece26is removably attached to the top face32of the base member22. The heelpiece26may be attached at various locations between the first end34and the second end35of the base member22. It should be noted that both the heelpiece26and the upright member24project in the same direction (e.g., upwardly) from the top face32of base member22. A selected location of the heelpiece26along the base member22(and thus relative to upright member24) corresponds to the size of the user's foot.

The foot stretching device20is configured for use by placing the device at the corner formed between a floor and wall. The foot stretching device20is arranged such that the base member22rests on a floor of a room and the upright member24is positioned against a wall of the room. Thus, the base member22can be substantially parallel to the floor, the upright member24can be substantially parallel to the wall, and can form a right angle to one another. It will be understood, however, that in some use applications, the base member22and the upright member24can slightly deflect relative to one another and/or be arranged at a non-perpendicular angle, for example to accommodate wall moldings or other adaptations in the floor/wall interface.

As described above, the base member22is defined by the top face32, the bottom face33, the first end34, and the second end35. The base member22can be generally rectangular as shown inFIG. 2, but other shapes may be suitable. During use, the bottom face33is placed on a floor of a room. For this reason, the bottom face33is substantially flat in some embodiments (i.e., within 10% of a truly flat surface). In some embodiments, the bottom face33may incorporate surface features that increase friction between the floor and the device20to limit movement of the device20during use.

FIG. 3illustrates a perspective view of the upright member24. The upright member24can have an elongated shape and defines a front face42opposite a back face43(referenced generally), and a first end44opposite a second end45. The upright member24can be generally rectangular as shown inFIG. 3, but other shapes may be suitable. In the assembled state, the device20(FIG. 1) is configured such that the back face43is positioned against a wall of a room during use. For this reason, the back face43can be substantially flat (i.e., within 10% of a truly flat surface). In some embodiments, the back face43may incorporate surface features that increase friction between the wall and the device20to limit movement of the device during use. In other embodiments, the back face43can incorporate surface features (e.g., depressions, raised surfaces, etc.) that allow the device20to sit flush with the wall if the wall has moldings or other adaptations. In yet other embodiments, the stretching devices of the present disclosure can further include an offset body (not shown) that is selectively secured to the back face43(e.g., the offset body and the back face43can carry complementary securement strips (such as complementary hook-and-loop strips available under the tradename Velcro®), a pressure sensitive adhesive can be provided on one or both of the offset body and the back face43, a mechanical fastener can be included, etc.); where desired, the offset body is attached to the back face43and serves to accommodate a thickness of wall variations (e.g., molding) and allow the back face43to sit flush with the wall.

With respect to the front face42, the device20(FIG. 1) is configured such that during use, the user's foot engages with the front face42of the upright member24. In some embodiments, a shape of the upright member24(in combination with an arrangement of the upright member24relative to the base member22upon final assembly) formats the front face42to be conducive to stretching exercises beneficial for treatment of plantar fasciitis as described in greater detail below. For example, the front face42can provide or define a receiving zone46(referenced generally), adjacent to and extending from the second end45, that is substantially flat or substantially planar (i.e., within 10% of a truly flat or truly planar surface) and intended, for example, for placement of the bottom of a user's forefoot. Other portions of the front face42may or may not deviate from the substantially planar receiving zone46(e.g., a transition zone47can be provided adjacent the first end44at which a thickness of the upright member24is increased to accommodate mounting features (described below) that promote assembly with the base member22(FIG. 1)). Thus, in some embodiments, the receiving zone46can be considered the entire length of the flat and planar portion of the front face42. Other shapes are also envisioned. The front face42may also have surface features that enable better engagement with the foot during use, including a texture.

FIG. 4illustrates a perspective view of the base member22and upright member24jointly connected to optionally form a right angle as described below, with the upright member24projecting upwardly from the base member22in a direction opposite the bottom face33of the base member22. In some embodiments, the first end34of the base member22may be configured to jointly connect to the first end44of the upright member24.FIG. 2illustrates the first end34of the base member22forming a tail37of a dovetail or tongue-in-groove configuration.FIG. 3illustrates the first end44of the upright member24forming a socket36of the dovetail or tongue-in-groove configuration. In other embodiments, the base member22and upright member24may incorporate any other joint configuration common in the field that facilitates assembly of the base member22with the upright member24in a manner optionally creating a 90 degree or right angle between the bottom face33of the base member22and the back face43of the upright member24(e.g., in some embodiments, a major plane of the bottom face33and a major plane of the back face43are substantially perpendicular). The base member22and upright member24may be disassembled from each other for storage or transportation purposes. In other embodiments, the base member22and the upright member24can be more permanently attached to one another (e.g., the base member22and the upright member24can optionally be formed as a single, homogenous body).

FIG. 5illustrates an example of the heelpiece26of the foot stretching device20. The heelpiece26, when assembled to the base member22(FIG. 1), provides support and resistance to a user's heel during use. In some embodiments, the heelpiece26may include an upper portion52and a bottom portion54. The upper portion52and bottom portion54may form a right angle, although other angles are also acceptable. The upper portion52may have a shape adapted to comfortably or ergonomically receive the heel of the user, for example it may have a concave shape or other shapes to adapt to a user's heel. In some embodiments, the heelpiece26can include or form a textured surface to minimize slippage of the user's heel during use.

In some embodiments, the heelpiece26may be removably attached to the top face32of the base member22to accommodate various foot sizes and/or to promote a desired stretch. The heelpiece26may be removably attached at various positions between the first end34and the second end35of the base member22. Optimal positions of the heelpiece26may be determined by a physician (or the user) to ensure proper stretching of the foot. The attachment of the heelpiece26to the base member22can have a variety of configurations. For example, the base member22may have a plurality of holes38open to the top face32and adapted to receive and releasably maintain a plurality of pins56extending from the heelpiece26. The pins56can be removed from the holes38to adjust the placement of the heelpiece26along the base member22(and thus a distance between the heelpiece26and the upright member24as desired to best accommodate the size of a particular user's foot and/or desired degree of stretch).FIG. 6illustrates an embodiment of the heelpiece26where the plurality of pins56extend from the bottom portion54. One example of an attachment configuration is two parallel sets of the holes38spaced along the top face32of the base member22configured to releasably maintain a set of pins56extending from the bottom portion54of the heelpiece26. Regardless of an exact connection format, engagement between the heelpiece26and the base member22is sufficiently robust to resist expected forces applied to the heelpiece26during use of the device20in performing a stretching exercise.

With reference toFIGS. 1-6, one or more features of the foot stretching devices of the present disclosure promote stretching of the plantar fascia. As a point of reference, with some foot stretching exercises of the present disclosure, the hindfoot (e.g., heel) of the foot to be stretched is placed into contact with the heelpiece26, and the bottom of the forefoot (e.g., toes and ball of the foot) of the foot to be stretched is located against the front face42of the upright member24. With this approach, the bottom arch of the foot is not in contact with the device20and this promotes stretching of the plantar fascia. More particularly, and with reference toFIG. 7, a foot stretching exercise intended to stretch the plantar fascia includes the bottom of the forefoot placed against the receiving zone46of the front face42of the upright member24. To promote stretching of the plantar fascia, a location or distance of the heelpiece26relative to a plane of the receiving zone46is adjusted or selected so that when the heel of the foot is against the heelpiece26and the forefoot is placed on the receiving zone46, the foot and ankle are stretched. This allows the forefoot to be in a fixed position against the receiving zone46(e.g., at or above a hypothetical lower region represented by a dashed line60, or at or below a hypothetical upper region represented by a dashed line62inFIG. 7) and the heel to be in a fixed position on the heelpiece26. An open space is created between the bottom arch of the user's foot and all surfaces of the foot stretching device20. The resulting forces from the user gently pushing their body weight into the foot stretching device20cause a stretch of the plantar fascia and Achilles tendon. The adjustable construction of the heelpiece26relative to the base member22(and thus relative to the upright member24) as described above permits a user to achieve this foot placement/arrangement regardless of the actual size of the particular user's foot. Further, a user has the ability to attain a more advanced or aggressive stretch by locating the heelpiece26closer to the upright member24.

Regardless, once the foot to be stretched is positioned as described above, an effective stretch of the plantar fascia can be achieved by simply shifting weight onto the foot to be stretched and/or leaning forward. The upright member24and the heelpiece26hold the forefoot and the heel in a fixed position, allowing the force to be applied through the plantar fascia. While in this stretching position, muscles, tendons, and ligaments of the foot and ankle are lengthened. Due to the spacing naturally achieved between the bottom of the foot arch and the surfaces of the device20, there is no pressure over the plantar fascia and the device20itself does not impede or resist free stretching. Along these same lines, a bottom of the user's heel is supported by the bottom portion54of the heelpiece26, thus raising the bottom of the foot to be stretched above the top face32of the base member22(i.e., the desired open spacing between the foot to be stretched and surfaces of the device20is enhanced by a thickness of the bottom portion54). The room's wall prevents the foot stretching device20from moving (e.g., as the user transfers his/her weight forward onto the forefoot in performing the stretch, a resultant force applied onto the upright member24is resisted by the wall). Other stretching exercises are also available with the stretching devices of the present disclosure, including those in which a portion of the user's foot (e.g., forefoot) is in contact with the transition zone47of the front face42of the upright member24.