Abstract:
Foot supporting devices and methods hold the wearer&#39;s foot and leg at a predetermined angle for sufficient time to reduce foot fatigue or pain, while the wearer is not on the feet. The invention requires that there be no part of the foot supporting devices making contact with or causing stress on the wearer&#39;s heel. The foot supporting devices may be made from soft, pliable fabric materials.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to devices and methods for supporting human feet, and more particularly to trusses that can be used to diminish or eliminate the pain from foot ailments and fatigue. In particular, people with heel spurs (plantar fasciitis) often suffer pain after they have been on their feet for long periods of time while working, walking or exercising. Heel spurs often cause pain for people who exercise by running or jogging. Such pain is often severe when the person with heel spurs first stands up after a nights sleep in bed or after a long period of rest off of the feet. Prior foot support braces often aggravate the pain or discomfort of people with heel spurs when such devices contact or exert pressure against the wearer&#39;s heel. Also, prior foot support braces are cumbersome and can not be worn when the user is sleeping. 
     OBJECTIVES OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, it is an object of tins invention to provide improved methods and devices for relieving foot pain, discomfort and fatigue. 
     Another object is to provide pain relieving methods and devices that should be worn when a person sleeps or when the person is at rest and off of the feet. 
     A further object is to provide adjustable soft, limp, fabric trusses that can hold the wearer&#39;s foot at a predetermined angle comfortably for sufficient time to relieve foot pain or fatigue. 
     Another object is to provide pain and fatigue relieving methods and foot trusses that are not to be worn when the wearer has shoes on, and which do not contact or cause stress on the wearer&#39;s heel. 
     A still further object is to provide adjustable, light weight, durable, washable pain relieving foot trusses that can be inexpensively made from commonly available fabric materials, that do not have to be fitted specifically for any individual person before they can be worn, and which do not have defects found in similar prior art foot aid devices. 
     A further object is to provide methods of holding a person&#39;s foot at a predetermined angle with respect to the person&#39;s leg for sufficient time to relieve foot discomfort or pain without contacting the person&#39;s heel and without causing muscle tension in the person&#39;s leg or foot. 
     Another object is to provide foot strain and pain relief methods and devices that do not aggravate heel spurs. 
     Other objects and advantages of the methods and foot aid devices incorporating this invention will be found in the specification and claims, and the scope of the invention will be set forth in the claims. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic, perspective view of a preferred embodiment of this invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 when opened and spread out. 
     FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 as shown in FIG. 2. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The drawing shows an adjustable, fabric, soft, limp, foot supporting truss 1 embracing the foot 2 and leg 3 (shown in broken lines of its wearer. The truss comprises a first strap 4 of sufficient length to encircle the wearer&#39;s leg 3 above the ankle. A second strap 5 is of sufficient length to encircle the wearer&#39;s foot 2 at about the center of the foot in the area of the instep and arch. A third strap 6 connects the first and second straps between the instep and the leg on the side opposite to the heel 7. preferably a conventional arch support pad 8 is placed between second strap 5 and the bottom of the arch of the foot 2, although the pad 8 is not essential. No part of the truss 1 touches or puts a strain on the heel 7 of the wearer. 
     The first and second straps are adjustable so that the truss 1 can fit a large number of people of different sizes. The inner surface 10 of the first strap 4 is the surface that contacts the leg 3 of the wearer. The third strap 6 is bifurcated at one end 11 and the bifurcated end portions 9 are sewn to the opposite surface 12 of the strap 4. The inner surface 13 of the second strap 5 is the surface that contacts the foot 2 of the wearer, and the opposite end 14 of the third strap 6 is releasably connected to the opposite surface 15 of the strap 5. The straps 3, 5, and 6 may be made from any durable, light weight, soft, limp, washable fabric material, preferably, the first and second straps 3 and 5 are made from washable ACTION elastic webbing two inches in width. Third strap 6 may be made from either elastic or non-elastic washable webbing having a smaller width. 
     The first and second straps 3 and 5 each include means for releasably connecting their respective ends for permitting their length to be adjusted to fit the specific wearer of the truss 1. preferably the mating segments of conventional hook and loop fasteners are attached to the opposite surfaces at the opposite ends of each of the first and second straps. First strap 4 has a hook and loop segment 17 attached to its surface 12 at one end 18 and a mating hook and loop segment 19 attached to its surface 10 at the opposite end 20. Second strap 5 has a hook and loop segment 21 attached to its surface 13 at one end 22, and a mating hook and loop segment 23 attached to it surface 15 at the opposite end 24. 
     The third strap 6 employs means for permitting its length to be adjusted to fit the specific wearer of the truss 1. preferably a hook and loop fastener segment 26 is attached to the opposite end 14 of the strap 6 for mating with a hook and loop fastener segment 28 attached to the surface 15 of the strap 5 intermediate the ends 22 and 24 of that strap. Alternatively, third strap 6 may be sewn at its end 14 to second strap 5, in which case the mating hook and loop fastener segment 26 would be located at its end 11 and the segment 28 would be located on the surface 12 of first strap 4. It is also possible to located hook and loop fastener segments at both of the ends 11 and 14 of third strap 6 for mating with hook and loop fastener segments located intermediate the end of both of straps 4 and 5. 
     Although hook and loop fasteners are preferred as the means for adjusting the lengths of straps 4, 5, and 6, any other conventional separable fasteners such as buckles and snap fasteners may be used. The only requirement is that the fasteners permit circumferential or lengthwise adjustment of the straps so that the straps can snugly encircle and fit the different sizes of the legs and feet of the various wearers of the truss 1. 
     A person at rest (i.e. when lying or sitting down with essentially no weight on the feet) can obtain relief from foot discomfort by practicing the methods of using the truss 1 disclosed herein. This can be accomplished by snugly enclosing a portion of a wearer&#39;s leg 3 above the ankle with first strap 4, and snugly enclosing a portion of the wearer&#39;s foot 2 at the arch and instep with second strap 5. When a normal foot and leg are relaxed, they make an angle of more than 90° with respect to each other. The methods of using the truss 1 include the step of connecting straps 4 and 5 with third strap 6 so as to exert tension in the strap 6 of about one to three pounds that draws the enclosed portions of the foot and leg toward each other to relative positions that the foot and leg could not achieve without muscle tension while the person using truss 1 is at rest. The strap 6 should be used to hold the person&#39;s leg and foot at an angle of about 90° without touching such person&#39;s heel, and without tension in the muscles of the foot and leg, for at least about ten minutes. Optimum benefit may be obtained by holding the leg and foot at such an angle without muscle tension for about six to eight hours, preferably while the person using truss 1 sleeps. This has been demonstrated to relieve aches caused by tired feet and muscles and the pain caused by heel spurs. 
     While the present invention has been described with reference to particular embodiments of foot supporting devices, it is not intended to illustrate or describe all of the equivalent forms or ramifications thereof. Also, the words used are words of description rather than limitation, and various changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the appended claims cover all such changes as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.