Abstract:
A method to prevent irritation of deformed toes of a patient uses an adjustable toe protector formed from a loop of a tubular material with a pile layer on the inside where the length of the loop is adjustable, and pads the top the toes with a double thickness of the material so that shoe pressure straightens the toe out while a crest pad formed by a resilient insert into the tubular material beneath the toe lifts the toes.

Description:
[0001]    This application is a continuation application of application Ser. No. 14/258,888 filed Apr. 22, 2014 and now abandoned. 
         [0002]    This application claims the benefit under 35 USC 119(e) of Provisional Application 61/843,273 filed Jul. 5, 2013. 
         [0003]    This invention relates to a method to prevent irritation of deformed toes of a patient. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    One arrangement of this type is shown in US Application 2013/0079694 published Mar. 28, 2013 by Aquino. Another similar arrangement which is not a subject of a patent application is available on the market by Pedifix of Brewster N.Y. 
         [0005]    These and other commercially available toe crest or buttress pads of this type do not address irritation of the shoe against the top of the deformed toes. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    According to the invention there is provided a method to prevent irritation of deformed toes of a patient comprising: 
         [0007]    shaping a band having a length to wrap around a plurality of the toes of the patient to form a loop defining a top loop portion for extending across the top of the toes and a bottom loop portion for extending underneath the toes; 
         [0008]    the band comprising an elongate tubular member with an exterior tubular wall forming a hollow interior; 
         [0009]    the band having a first end at a first end of the tubular member and a second end at a second end of the tubular member; 
         [0010]    wherein the second end of the tubular member defines an open mouth at the second end which forms an entrance into the hollow interior of the tubular member into the hollow interior of the tubular member; 
         [0011]    passing a first portion of the tubular member at the first end through the entrance defined by the open mouth at the second end so that said first portion extends along the hollow interior from the open mouth to a position spaced from the open mouth of the second end; 
         [0012]    causing said first end to emerge through a hole in the exterior wall at said position to define the loop with an end portion of the first end projecting out of said hole in the exterior wall so as to define a tail which can be pulled to tighten the loop; 
         [0013]    the top loop portion of the tubular member thus extending between the open mouth at the second end and said hole at said position spaced from the open mouth at the second end with said first portion of the first end extending inside the top portion of the second end to form said top loop portion as a part of the loop which is thicker than the bottom loop portion; 
         [0014]    and wrapping the loop around a plurality of toes of the patient so that the top loop portion extends across on top of the plurality of toes and so that the bottom loop portion lies underneath the plurality of toes. 
         [0015]    Preferably the tubular member is formed of a fleece material with a pile layer in an inner surface. 
         [0016]    Preferably the pile layer is at least partly removed at said connecting portions so that the connecting portions are thinner than the top and bottom portions. 
         [0017]    Preferably a resilient padding member is inserted into the hollow interior at least at the bottom portion. 
         [0018]    Preferably a resilient padding member is inserted into the hollow interior only at the bottom portion. 
         [0019]    Preferably the hole is defined by a slit in the tubular material. 
         [0020]    Preferably the top portion is defined by a first end portion at the first end lying inside a second end portion at the second end so that the first and second end portions overlap to define a thicker part of the loop at the top portion. 
         [0021]    According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided an apparatus for application to the toes of a patient comprising: 
         [0022]    a band comprising a loop having a length to wrap around a plurality of the toes of the patient; 
         [0023]    the loop defining a top portion extending across the top of the toes and a bottom portion to extend underneath the toes; 
         [0024]    the loop having two connecting portions one at each end each joining the top portion so as to extend between two toes; 
         [0025]    the band comprising an elongate tubular member with a hollow interior; 
         [0026]    wherein the tubular member is formed of a fleece material with a pile layer on an inner surface. 
         [0027]    According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided an apparatus for application to the toes of a patient comprising a band comprising a loop having a length to wrap around a plurality of the toes of the patient; 
         [0028]    the loop defining a top portion extending across the top of the toes and a bottom portion to extend underneath the toes; 
         [0029]    the loop having two connecting portions one at each end each joining the top portion so as to extend between two toes; 
         [0030]    the band comprising an elongate tubular member with a hollow interior; 
         [0031]    wherein the top portion is defined by a first end portion at the first end lying inside a second end portion at the second end so that the first and second end portions overlap to define a thicker part of the loop at the top portion. 
         [0032]    This modified toe buttress pad of the present invention is adjustable and pads the top the toes so that shoe pressure straightens the toe out while crest pad beneath the toe works the same as the other devices currently on the market. 
         [0033]    As stated above, prevents irritation of deformed toes. The invention claimed here solves this problem. 
         [0034]    Provides padding and buttressing of deformed toe to prevent irritation or callus formation over the joint or at the tip of the toe. 
         [0035]    No padding or “buttressing” of the top of the toe exists in the devices used most commonly today 
         [0036]    This modified toe buttress pad is adjustable, and pads the top the toes so that shoe pressure straightens the toe out while crest pad beneath the toe works the same as other devices currently on the market. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0037]    One embodiment of the invention will now be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0038]      FIG. 1  is a plan view of the rectangular pad of fleece material which is formed into the pad according to the present invention. 
           [0039]      FIG. 2  is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the components of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0040]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view along the lines  3 - 3  of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0041]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view along the lines  4 - 4  of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0042]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view along the lines  5 - 5  of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0043]      FIG. 6  is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the pad of  FIG. 2  when folded into the required shape. 
       
    
    
       [0044]    In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0045]    The pad of the present invention is formed from a rectangular sheet shown in  FIG. 1  of a man-made fleece material commonly known as “sherpa fleece”. The rectangular sheet  1  is sewn along adjacent side edges  1 A,  1  B to form a seam  2  which shapes the sheet into a tubular configuration shown in  FIG. 2 . A foam pad  3  is inserted into the tubularized sherpa fleece. The fleece has an outer carrying layer  4  and an inner fleece or pile layer  5 . 
         [0046]    The apparatus thus provides a loop  20  wrapped around the toes with a tail  21  exposed at one end of the loop. The loop has a length to wrap around a plurality of the toes of the patient. The loop defines a top portion  22  extending across the top of the toes and a bottom portion  23  to extend underneath the toes with two connecting portions  24 ,  25  one at each end each joining the top portion so as to extend between two toes. The band has a first end and  7  a second end  8  and comprises an elongate tubular member with a hollow interior. As shown in  FIG. 6 , the first end  7  is inserted into the hollow interior of the second end  8  and emerges through a hole  6  adjacent the second end to define the loop  20  with the first end  7  defining the tail  21  which can be pulled to tighten the loop. 
         [0047]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , the pile layer  5  is at least partly removed at the connecting portions  24 ,  25  so that the connecting portions are thinner than the top and bottom portions. A resilient padding member  3  is inserted into the hollow interior at least and preferably only at the bottom portion to provide the support for 
         [0048]    In this construction the top portion  22  is defined by a first end portion  26  at the first end  7  lying inside a second end portion  27  at the second end  8  so that the first and second end portions overlap to define a thicker part of the loop at the top portion. 
         [0049]    The tube so formed and shown in Figures is folded and inserted into itself and pulled through a slit  6  made in the tube so that the end  7  is wrapped around to the end  8  of the tube and inserted into the end  8  until the end  7  is pulled out of the slit  6 . This provides an end piece  7 A which projects out of the slit  6  so as to be exposed which allows the device to be tensioned for fit and comfort by pulling the end  7 A to increase or decrease the size of the loop encircling the toes of the wearer. 
         [0050]    The fleece material creates a padding of the toes dorsally just behind the first joint in the toe to prevent the shoe from rubbing on the bent joint. This pushes down on the toe and helps to straighten the joint of toes that are flexibly contracted. The padding within the tube fills the space under the toes to push the end of the upward thereby straightening the flexible toe or holding the rigidly deformed toe away from the weight-bearing surface. The method of folding and inserting the fleece in to itself and leaving a long tail allows the device to be adjusted to a snug fit about the toes that are encircled. This method is what is unique to this buttress pad. 
         [0051]    The fleece is cut into a rectangular shape of the desired dimensions. The fleece is removed in two areas to thin the material that will ultimately lie between the toes. The material is then sewn along one long side to create a tube. The material is then inverted so that the woolly portion or pile layer is inside the tube and the faux suede material is outside. A foam pad is then drawn into the tube to the appropriate position. Near one end of the tubular material a slit  6  is cut about half way through the tube. A grasping tool is then introduced into the slit and exits the tube at the end closest to the slit. The other end of the tube is grasped with the same tool and then drawn into the opposite end and out the slit opening. 
         [0052]    Instructions on how to tighten or loosen the device drawn onto the material are provided where the person encircles the deformed or painful toes in the circle formed by the device and pulls on the loose end to tighten it to comfort. Thus user wraps the loop around a plurality of toes T 1 , T 2 , T 3  and T 4  of the patient so that the top loop portion  22  extends across on top of the plurality of toes and so that the bottom loop portion  23  lies underneath the plurality of toes. 
         [0053]    Since various modifications can be made in my invention as herein above described, and many apparently widely different embodiments of same made within the spirit and scope of the claims without department from such spirit and scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.