Abstract:
Disclosed herein are variations of shoes having structural features that offer improved podiatric support to address any number of lower extremity pathologies. Such shoes are especially useful in allowing individuals adapt to physical changes, accompanying ailments, as well as lifestyle changes that can arise such as those during and after pregnancy, during motherhood or other situations that induce temporary or permanent physical changes.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES MADE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    Not applicable. 
       STATEMENT AS TO RIGHTS TO INVENTIONS MADE UNDER FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not applicable. 
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    The present disclosure includes shoes having structural features that offer improved podiatric support to address any number of lower extremity pathologies. Such shoes are especially useful in allowing individuals adapt to physical changes, accompanying ailments, as well as lifestyle changes that can arise such as those during and after pregnancy, during motherhood or other situations that induce temporary or permanent physical changes. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    The devices of the present disclosure can help to prevent or provide relief from foot, leg, knee, hip and lower back pain. While such relief may be sought among women during and after pregnancy as well as throughout motherhood, the devices and methods described herein can be used by any number of individuals seeking relief from foot, leg, knee, hip, lower back, and other types of pain. Accordingly, while the present disclosure discusses changes occurring during and after pregnancy, the inventive concepts can be applied to other situations in addition to pregnancy and post pregnancy users. A normal human gait begins with the outside part of the heel making contact with the ground. The foot then rolls inward, making complete contact with the ground. The inward rolling of the foot optimally distributes the forces of impact and is called pronation. Pronation is critical to shock absorption. Pushing off the forefoot region ends the gait cycle. Due to an increase in body weight and other physiological changes that occur during pregnancy as well as carrying young children during motherhood, women can experience a shifting of their center of gravity, altering their posture and normal gait. 
         [0005]    Overpronation is a common foot problem associated with pregnancy and carrying young children during motherhood. Overpronation can result from excessive inward rolling of the foot. This may occur while a woman is stationary, or when walking after impact with the ground, such that the foot continues to roll inward during subsequent push-off. Because of the excessive inward rolling, the foot and ankle provide inadequate support and stabilization for the rest of the body and shock is not absorbed as efficiently. Thus, overpronation may be the source of many lower extremity pathologies, e.g., muscle tiredness and inflammation, foot and knee joint pain, back pain, plantar fasciitis, tendonitis and ligament strain. 
         [0006]    Plantar fasciitis refers to an inflammation of the thick tissue on the bottom of the foot. Although many times a result of overpronation, women before and after pregnancy as well as carrying young children during motherhood may experience plantar fasciitis also from the sudden increase and redistribution of weight. Overpronation flattens the foot, putting additional strain on the plantar fascia which runs below the foot, from the metatarsalphalangeal joint to the calcaneus, or heel bone. Currently, the only treatment for plantar fasciitis is pain control medication, non-use, and/or wearing insoles with additional arch support and shock absorption. 
         [0007]    Another common effect of pregnancy is edema, or swelling, which may occur anywhere in the body, but typically presents itself in the legs and feet in. Edema is an abnormal accumulation of fluid beneath the skin or in one or more cavities of the body. This abnormal accumulation of fluid increases the size of the feet and legs, making it especially difficult for women during and after pregnancy to fit comfortably in a normal shoe. In addition, as these women spend more time in a vertical position throughout the day, the swelling may worsen, rendering a shoe that may have fit comfortably earlier in the day to be tight and uncomfortable as the swelling increases. Although open shoes such as sandals may present one solution to this problem, many open shoes do not provide enough support to other parts of the woman&#39;s foot. Adequate support is critical during and after pregnancy to insure a safe, stable interface between a woman&#39;s foot and the ground. Also, adequate support is necessary to avoid other foot problems, such as overpronation. Furthermore, open shoes are not always appropriate due to safety, weather, professional expectations, etc. 
         [0008]    Many pregnant women and mothers also experience leg cramping, varicose veins, and/or pain in the knees, hips and back. These ailments may be a result of the previously described ailments, or may occur independently as a result of the numerous physiological changes that come with pregnancy and motherhood, especially while carrying young children. 
         [0009]    The prior methods and apparatus to address the physical ailments that affect women during pregnancy are less than ideal in at least some circumstances. For example, one conventional maternity insole has a varus of 2 to 7 degrees at the heel. However, a varus (or angle) in the heel portion alone does not adequately prevent and/or address an inward rolling of a woman&#39;s midfoot and forefoot. Furthermore, an insole alone, whether removably or permanently attached to a shoe, does not address pain caused by edema of the foot. 
         [0010]    Another conventional insole attempts to address the forward shifting in weight distribution a woman experiences during pregnancy. This insole tilts rearwardly, attempting to shift the woman&#39;s body weight backward. However, it has been found that an insole with an elevated forefoot relative to the heel results in increased back, hip, leg and foot pain, contrary to the desired results herein. Furthermore, an insole alone, whether removably or permanently attached to a shoe, does not address pain caused by edema of the foot. 
         [0011]    Yet another conventional insole attempts to provide relief to plantar fasciitis by incorporating a cupped heel portion and a midfoot portion having a medial longitudinal arch support. However, medial support of the arch alone does not provide adequate support for a woman&#39;s foot, nor does it adequately address overpronation. Furthermore, an insole alone, whether removably or permanently attached to a shoe, does not address pain caused by edema of the foot. 
         [0012]    In light of the above, there remains a need for an improved shoe and/or insole design. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0013]    Embodiments of the present invention provide a shoe and/or insole having structural features that offer improved podiatric support to address any number of lower extremity pathologies. In many embodiments, the shoe comprises a forefoot section, a midfoot section and a heel section. The midfoot section may include a varus causing the midfoot section to slope from a medial side of the midfoot section to a lateral side of the midfoot section. 
         [0014]    In many embodiments, the heel section May have a varus of 0 degrees. 
         [0015]    In another aspect, the midfoot section has a varus between 1 and 5 degrees. 
         [0016]    In many embodiments, the shoe further comprises a slip resistant outsole. 
         [0017]    In many embodiments, the shoe further comprises a cushioned insole. 
         [0018]    The shoe may also include elastic material to accommodate swelling of the foot. Additionally, the shoe may comprise a partial d&#39;Orsay shape. 
         [0019]    In some embodiments described herein, the midfoot section of the shoe may further comprise an arched portion. The arched portion may be configured to provide support for the medial longitudinal, lateral longitudinal and tranverse arches. 
         [0020]    In many embodiments, the midfoot varus causes weight distribution from a medial side of the foot to a lateral side of the foot. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0021]      FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective side view of a foot. 
           [0022]      FIG. 2A  illustrates a posterior view of a person&#39;s lower legs and ankles in a normal standing position. 
           [0023]      FIG. 2B  illustrates a posterior view of a person&#39;s lower legs and ankles during overpronation. 
           [0024]      FIG. 3A  illustrates a top view of the shoe. 
           [0025]      FIG. 3B  illustrates a side view of the shoe, as viewed from the medial side. 
           [0026]      FIG. 4A  illustrates a perspective view of the insole of a right shoe, as viewed from the lateral side. 
           [0027]      FIG. 4B  illustrates a perspective view of a longitudinal cross-section of the insole of the shoe. 
           [0028]      FIG. 4C  illustrates a perspective view of the insole of a right shoe, as viewed from the medial side. 
           [0029]      FIG. 5  illustrates a transverse cross-sectional view of the heel section. 
           [0030]      FIG. 6  illustrates the varus of the midfoot section. 
           [0031]      FIGS. 7A-7F  illustrate a sequence of cross-sectional view of a right shoe as viewed anteriorly. 
           [0032]      FIG. 8A  illustrates a cross-sectional view of the sole of the shoe, as viewed from the medial side. 
           [0033]      FIG. 8B  illustrates a cross-sectional view of the sole of the shoe, as viewed from the lateral side. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0034]      FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective side view of a foot F. Foot F has three arches, a medial longitudinal arch MA, a lateral longitudinal arch LA and a transverse arch TA. The medial longitudinal arch MA runs along the length of the arch on the inside of the foot. The lateral longitudinal arch LA runs along the length of the arch on the outside of the foot. The transverse arch TA runs widthwise across the arch medially to laterally. All three arches aid the foot in supporting and distributing a person&#39;s weight. 
         [0035]      FIG. 2A  illustrates posterior view of a person&#39;s lower legs and ankles A in a normal standing position, with a distribution of weight W centered on each heel H.  FIG. 2B  illustrates a posterior view of a person&#39;s lower legs and ankles A during excessive pronation, or overpronation, where the ankles and foot roll inward, resulting in an abnormal distribution of weight W, causing foot, leg, hip and back pain. 
         [0036]    A person of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the dimensions and physiology of the woman may vary, and although some women may comprise differing physiology, the teachings as described herein can be adapted for use by many women having various pregnancy and post-pregnancy conditions as well as varying foot dimensions. In addition, the designs described herein can be used for any individual suffering from similar conditions. 
         [0037]    The devices described herein can be used to prevent or provide relief from foot, leg, knee, hip and lower back pain arising from conditions where the feet distribute weight in an unsatisfactory manner. For example, such conditions may arise during pregnancy. 
         [0038]      FIGS. 3A and 3B  show top and side views of a shoe  10  comprising a forefoot section  12 , a midfoot section  14 , and a heel section  16 . Each section  12 ,  14 ,  16  has an outsole  70 , an insole  80 , and a vamp  90 . The outsole  70  and the insole  80  combine to make up the sole  60  of the shoe. 
         [0039]    As shown in  FIGS. 3A and 3B , sections  12 ,  14 ,  16  of the shoe can optionally include a vamp  90 . The vamp  90  holds the shoe  10  onto the foot. In regard to the heel section  16 , the vamp  90  may extend upwardly from the sole, creating a wall around the heel of the foot so as to protect the foot and preventing the foot from slipping out of the back of the shoe  10 . In the midfoot section  14 , the vamp  90  may extend upwardly, creating a wall along the Medial  26  and lateral  28  sides of the foot. In the forefoot section  12 , the vamp  90  extends upwardly then inwardly over the forefoot portion of the foot, creating a protective housing over the forefoot. In addition to protecting the foot from the environment, the vamp  90  also provides structural support for the foot during the walking cycle. The vamp  90  can be made from any commercially available material known or used. 
         [0040]    In one embodiment of the invention, the shoe  10  can optionally include a partial d&#39;Orsay shape, such that there is a gap  18 A in the vamp of the midfoot section  14 , allowing an edemic foot to expand beyond the normal contours of the shoe. In another embodiment, an elastic wall  20  may span the gap in  18 A. The elastic wall  20  provides additional support and protection to the foot, while still allowing the foot to comfortably expand if necessary. The elastic wall can be made of from any commercially available material. 
         [0041]    The forefoot section  12  comprises the anterior portion of the shoe. The forefoot section  12  may include a wide toe box  22  to further accommodate swelling of the foot. As shown in  FIG. 4A , the forefoot section insole  13  is substantially flat. 
         [0042]    The heel section  16  makes up the posterior aspect of the shoe  10  and comprises a heel section insole  17  surrounded by an upwardly extending portion  96  of the vamp  90 . The anterior portion of the heel section  16  extends into and is contiguous with the midfoot section  14 . As shown in  FIGS. 4A-4C , the heel section insole  17  may be slightly cupped, having a substantially flat center  19  surrounding by sloped side walls  21 A and  21 B. Alternatively, the heel section insole  17  may be flat along its entire width, as shown in the cross-section of  FIG. 7F .  FIG. 5  illustrates that although the heel section insole  17  may be cupped, the vertical axis of the heel section insole  17  and/or heel section  16  remains perpendicular to the ground plane G. This way, the heel section insole  17  and/or heel section  16  will not prejudice the heel of the foot towards with any degree varus, that is, deviation away from the midline of the body. 
         [0043]    Additionally, as shown in  Figure 6 , the midfoot section  14  has a midfoot varus  30  of approximately 1-5 degrees. However, variations of the design can include a midfoot varus having a larger range, such as 1-9 degrees. In one example, the varus  30  results from the medial portion  26  of insole being thicker than the lateral portion  28  of the insole, as shown in  FIGS. 7A-7F . The midfoot varus  30  of the insole of the midfoot section  14  encourages a transfer of weight from the medial side  26  of the foot to the lateral side  28  of the foot. 
         [0044]    The midfoot section insole  15  may also include an arched portion  24 , as shown in  FIGS. 8A and 8B . The arched portion defines a raised portion of the insole. The anterior aspect of the arched portion extends superiorly and rearwardly. For example, some variations can extend until reaching a maximum height of 5-30 mm. The arched portion eventually turns inferiorly, continuing to slant in a rearward direction. The arched portion  24  extends along with width of the insole  15  (as shown in the cross-sectional views of  FIGS. 8A and 8B ) and thus provides support for the medial longitudinal arch MA, the lateral longitudinal arch LA and the transverse arch TA and thus helps to prevent overpronation and plantar fasciitis while providing support for the foot and body. 
         [0045]    Further, the exterior of arched portion  24  may be integral with or independent from the insole  80 . Likewise, the exterior of arched. portion  24  may be made of the same or different material as that of the insole  80 . For example, the exterior material of arched portion  24  may be more rigid than that of the insole or remainder of the shoe and include without limitation materials such as hardened leather. 
         [0046]    The insole  80  may be made of one or more materials, and may be permanently or detachably affixed to the shoe. The insole  80  may be a partial insole or extend along the entire length of the shoe. Optionally, the insole  80  of the shoe  10  may be cushioned. The insole  80  can be made from any suitable material which can cushion and absorb the shock experienced by the foot and body during walking. In certain variations, the insole can be made from a single material. Alternatively, the insole can be comprised of multiple pieces, a contiguous piece of material or assembled from multiple pieces. In additional variations, the insole can comprise a permanent part of the shoe and can be built into the shoe. Suitable insole materials can include any commercially available materials. 
         [0047]    The outsole  70  of the shoe  10  may be slip resistant and be made of suitable materials such as any polymer or other material used for shoes and/or apparel. 
         [0048]    The applications of the disclosed invention discussed above are not limited to certain treatments or regions of the body, but may include any number of other treatments and areas of the body. Modification of the above-described methods and devices for carrying out the invention, and variations of aspects of the invention that are obvious to those of skill in the arts are intended to be within the scope of this disclosure. Moreover, various combinations of aspects between examples are also contemplated and are considered to be within the scope of this disclosure as well.