Patent ID: 7171766

Claim:
Apparatus adapted to be used with an item of footwear for supporting and stabilizing a portion of a user's foot in order to reduce a risk of injury from occurring, or reoccurring, or an injury already sustained from being exacerbated, during a pathological motion of a user's foot, comprising: (a) a support foundation configured to be removably fastened to a leg of the user, at a point above an ankle of the user; and (b) at least one tension band configured to engage the support foundation, and to engage at item of footwear, said at least one tension band including at least one of the following: (i) a first lateral tension band having a distal end and a proximal end, the distal end being configured to engage an item of footwear when the apparatus is worn by a user, the proximal end being coupled to the support foundation at a location proximate a central portion of the support foundation, such that when the apparatus is worn by a user, said central portion is substantially aligned with a user's ankle and the location is at least one of substantially aligned with a user's ankle and anterior to a user's ankle, the first lateral tension band extending downwardly beyond the support foundation, such that an acute angle is formed between the first lateral tension band and the support foundation; and (ii) a first medial tension band having a distal end and a proximal end, the distal end being configured to engage an item of footwear when the apparatus is worn by a user, the proximal end being coupled to the support foundation at a location proximate the central portion of the support foundation, such that when the apparatus is worn by a user, said central portion is substantially aligned with a user's ankle and the location is at least one of substantially aligned with a user's ankle and anterior to a user's ankle, the first medial tension band extending downwardly beyond the support foundation, such that an acute angle is formed between the first medial tension band and the support foundation, such that when the user's foot is properly positioned in an item of footwear worn during use of the apparatus, and the first medial tension band is tensioned to a desired tension, the first medial tension band is disposed adjacent to a navicular tuberosity of the user's foot, thereby supporting and stabilizing the user's foot.