U.S. patent application number 13/514662 was filed with the patent office on 2012-11-01 for orthopedic sole including corrective means for treating metatarsalgia and plantar skin disorders.
Invention is credited to Pascal Chenut.
Application Number | 20120272545 13/514662 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42288815 |
Filed Date | 2012-11-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120272545 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Chenut; Pascal |
November 1, 2012 |
ORTHOPEDIC SOLE INCLUDING CORRECTIVE MEANS FOR TREATING
METATARSALGIA AND PLANTAR SKIN DISORDERS
Abstract
An orthopedic insole capable of being inserted into a shoe or
the like for relieving and/or treating skin disorders and/or
calluses and/or metatarsal pain comprises at least one semi-rigid
corrective element capable of producing an inner metatarsal
support, over the rear portion of the head of the first metatarsal,
and/or a median metatarsal support, over the rear portion of the
second and/or third and/or fourth metatarsal head, and/or an
external metatarsal support, over the rear portion of the fifth
metatarsal head.
Inventors: |
Chenut; Pascal; (Semezanges,
FR) |
Family ID: |
42288815 |
Appl. No.: |
13/514662 |
Filed: |
December 9, 2010 |
PCT Filed: |
December 9, 2010 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP2010/069315 |
371 Date: |
July 16, 2012 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
36/43 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A43B 17/02 20130101;
A43B 7/223 20130101; A43B 7/1465 20130101; A61F 5/14 20130101; A43B
7/141 20130101; A61F 2005/0181 20130101; A43B 7/1445 20130101; A61F
5/0118 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
36/43 |
International
Class: |
A43B 13/38 20060101
A43B013/38 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 9, 2009 |
FR |
0958812 |
Claims
1. Orthopedic insole adapted to be inserted into a shoe or the like
for relieving and/or treating skin disorders and/or calluses and/or
metatarsal pain, comprising at least one semi-rigid corrective
element producing an inner retrocapital support, over a rear
portion of a head of a first metatarsal, and/or a median
retrocapital support, over a rear portion of a second and/or third
and/or fourth metatarsal head, and/or an outer retrocapital
support, over a rear portion of a fifth metatarsal head.
2. The insole according to claim 1, wherein said corrective element
is positioned on a lower face of said insole.
3. The insole according to claim 1, wherein said corrective element
is connected to the insole in a removable manner.
4. The insole according to claim 3, wherein said corrective element
has fixing means cooperating with matching fixing means connected
to a lower face of the insole.
5. The insole according to claim 4, wherein the lower face has at
least one recess extending from an inner edge to an outer edge of
the insole, opposite the metatarsal heads, and in which the
corrective element is positioned.
6. The insole according to claim 4, wherein said corrective element
has on one of its faces loops and/or hooks cooperating with hooks
and/or loops.
7. The insole according to claim 1, wherein, on a lower face, a
recess is located in front of the metatarsal heads, at a plantar
pad, said recess extending from an inner edge to an outer edge of
the insole, and receiving a lower anterocapital element having
pre-cut lines in order to enable creation of at least one hollow
under the callus or calluses and/or skin disorders.
8. The insole according to claim 1, further comprising an
anti-valgus or anti-pronation corrective element inserted in an
anti-valgus recess a lower face of the insole, along its inner
edge, under a plantar vault.
9. The insole according to claim 1, further comprising an
anti-varus or anti-supination corrective element inserted in an
anti-varus recess on a lower face of the insole, along its outer
edge, at a plantar vault.
10. The insole according to claim 1, further comprising, on an
upper face, means guiding progression of the foot along a
physiological axis of agait.
Description
SCOPE OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to an orthopedic insole
capable of being inserted into a shoe or the like for relieving
and/or treating skin disorders and/or calluses and/or metatarsal
pain, designed for any person having a skin disorder and more
particularly for diabetics in order to prevent the development of
ulceration.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] In the field of podology, it is well known that plantar
calluses or skin disorders can cause difficulties in walking and
can develop into ulceration in the case of deficiency in tissue
nutrition, as occurs with patients suffering from so-called type 1
or particularly type 2 diabetes mellitus, or with the elderly
having circulatory problems.
[0003] A callus is conventionally an excessive formation of normal
keratin on the affected site of the body. Its origin can be linked
either to disorders such as psoriasis, mycosis or eczema for
example, or be purely mechanical. The formation of calluses is said
to be a normal process enabling the foot to be protected from
traumas. Plantar calluses spread over the metatarsal heads and more
generally over the second metatarsal head.
[0004] The formation of calluses of mechanical origin basically
appears to be due to excessive pressure that is too great and over
too long a period during walking. In fact, the increase in pressure
stimulates the release of cytokines and epidermal growth factors in
the epidermis, leading to the increased production of cells and
finally to the appearance of calluses. This excessive pressure can
be due to anatomical anomalies that can cause a modification in
gait and dysfunction in the mechanics of the foot, such as
anomalies of the rearfoot and forefoot, digital deformations or
bony excrescences for example, and/or extrinsic factors such as
shoes that are ill-fitting, worn for too long, unsuitable, etc., or
sporadic or intensive sporting activities that can cause an
excessive load on certain parts of the body for example.
[0005] The treatment of calluses basically consists in the
application of acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin)-, lactic acid- and
urea-based cream onto the callus. Sometimes alpha-hydroxyl acid
(obtained from sugar cane) is also recommended. Furthermore,
calluses can be treated by pumice stone, which must first be
moistened, or by any other abrasive device.
[0006] Soles are also known, called insoles, capable of being
inserted into a shoe, comprising recesses and/or cushioning areas
extending over the site of the callus or calluses. This is
particularly the case of the German Patent Application DE 196 03
755, Japanese Patent Application JP 6054702, American Patent
Applications U.S. 2001/0039746 and U.S. 2005/0166425 and American
Patent U.S. Pat. No. 5,768,803.
[0007] Nevertheless, all these treatments and all these soles do
not correct the cause of the appearance of calluses so as to
prevent them from regularly reappearing. Moreover, despite the
treatments, it is sometimes possible to see suppuration occur,
linked to an infection of the serous bursa located beneath the
callus that can lead to ulceration, particularly among
diabetics.
[0008] French Patent Application FR 2 869 507 is also known, which
describes a raised relief plantar orthosis allegedly enabling the
treatment of the vast majority of individual cases. The said
plantar orthosis comprises, from the front to the back, over a
substantially flat area, so-called subcapital areas, namely one
area for the first metatarsal head and one area for the fourth and
fifth metatarsal heads and, behind these areas, separated from each
other, one retrocapital bar area or retrocapital support and having
a relief whose thickness varies. The retrocapital bar is an element
located just behind the metatarsal heads, which constitute as a
whole the metatarsal palette.
[0009] This type of sole, apart from the fact that the thickness of
between 1 and 10 mm of the raised elements is too great causing too
much discomfort for patients making this type of sole totally
unusable, does not allow the cause of the appearance of calluses to
be rectified because the retrocapital bar is located behind the
metatarsal heads.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0010] One of the aims of this invention is therefore to remedy
these drawbacks by proposing an orthopedic insole of simple design
and low cost, adapted to the morphology of the foot of each patient
and enabling excess pressure to be eliminated in order to eliminate
calluses and relieve patient's pain.
[0011] To this effect and according to the invention, an orthopedic
insole is proposed capable of being inserted into a shoe or the
like for relieving and/or treating calluses and/or metatarsal pain;
said sole is remarkable in that it comprises at least one
semi-rigid corrective element capable of producing a so-called
inner retrocapital support on the rear portion of the head of the
first metatarsal, and/or a so-called median retrocapital support,
on the rear portion of the second and/or third and/or fourth
metatarsal head, and/or a so-called outer retrocapital support, on
the rear portion of the fifth metatarsal head.
[0012] Said corrective element is preferably positioned on the
lower face of said sole.
[0013] Moreover, said corrective element is advantageously
connected to the sole in a removable manner.
[0014] According to a variation of the sole, said corrective
element has fixing means capable of cooperating with matching
fixing means connected to the lower face of the sole.
[0015] On its lower face, the sole comprises at least one recess
extending from the inner edge to the outer edge of the sole,
opposite the metatarsal heads, and in which the corrective element
is capable of being positioned.
[0016] According to another variation, on one of its faces the said
corrective element has loops and/or hooks capable of cooperating
with hooks and/or loops.
[0017] Advantageously, on its lower face the sole has a recess
located in front of the metatarsal heads, at the plantar pad, said
recess extending from the inner edge to the outer edge of the sole,
and capable of receiving a so-called lower anterocapital element
having pre-cut lines in order to enable the creation of at least
one hollow under the callus or calluses and/or skin disorders. This
enhances the cushioning located in front of the metatarsal heads
and, in association with an optional flexible plantar pad, beneath
the metatarsal heads on the upper face of the sole. The said lower
anterocapital element is pre-cut into five areas so as to create in
certain cases a hollow at one or more metatarsal heads in order to
reduce the pressure on said head or heads.
[0018] Incidentally, the sole comprises on the one hand an
anti-valgus or anti-pronation corrective element capable of being
inserted in a so-called anti-valgus recess made on the lower face
of the sole, along its inner edge, under the plantar vault, and on
the other hand an anti-varus or anti-supination corrective element
capable of being inserted in a so-called anti-varus recess made on
the lower face of the sole, along its outer edge, at the plantar
vault.
[0019] Advantageously, on its upper face the sole has means guiding
the progression of the foot along the physiological axis of the
gait.
[0020] These means consist in a sub-scaphoidian profiled element,
on the upper face of the sole, which substantially has the shape of
a hemi-dome and/or in a sub-cuboidian element located, on the upper
face of the sole, on the outer side of the sub-scaphoidian element
and having the shape of a bean, with its convexity facing backwards
from the median longitudinal axis of the sole and/or in a
medio-tarsian axial means, on the upper face of the sole, oval in
shape and widening towards the front to terminate just before the
metatarsal heads in order to distribute the support beneath the
metatarsal palettes.
[0021] Preferably the sole has means to stress, from the strike of
the step usually performed by the heel, the articular receptors
located between the talus and the calcaneus.
[0022] The said means consist in a subcalcaneal longitudinal
profiled channel, or console, of increasing thickness from the heel
to an area located substantially directly below the neck of the
talus.
[0023] Said console is positioned either on the upper face of the
sole or on the lower face of the sole performing an additional
stiffening function.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0024] Further advantages and features will emerge more clearly
from the following description of several variations, given by way
of non-limiting examples, of the orthopedic sole according to the
invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in
which:
[0025] FIG. 1 is a bottom view of the orthopedic sole according to
the invention,
[0026] FIG. 2 is a side view of the orthopedic sole according to
the invention,
[0027] FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a longitudinal section of the
orthopedic sole with a foot resting on it,
[0028] FIG. 4A to 8A are top views of the removable corrective
elements of the orthopedic sole according to the invention,
[0029] FIGS. 4B to 8B are side views of the removable corrective
elements of the orthopedic sole represented in FIGS. 4A to 8A,
[0030] FIG. 9 is a top view of a variation of the orthopedic sole
according to the invention,
[0031] FIG. 10 is a side view of the variation of the orthopedic
sole according to the invention represented in FIG. 9,
[0032] FIG. 11 is a bottom view of a second variation of the
orthopedic sole according to the invention,
[0033] FIG. 12 is a side view of the second variation of the
orthopedic sole according to the invention represented in FIG.
11,
[0034] FIG. 13 is a schematic view of a longitudinal section of a
device for measuring the footprint in order to determine the
appropriate size of the orthopedic sole according to the
invention,
[0035] FIG. 14 is a top schematic view of the template of the
footprint-measuring device enabling the size of the sole to be
determined on the basis of the position of the metatarsal heads in
relation to the calcaneus, i.e. in relation to the patient's
heel.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0036] For obvious reasons of simplifying the description, only one
sole according to the invention will be described, corresponding to
the left foot for example, the right sole being deduced by
symmetry.
[0037] With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the sole according to the
invention has on its lower face a semi-rigid corrective element
capable of providing a so-called inner retrocapital support 1, on
the back part of the first metatarsal head, and/or a so-called
median retrocapital support 2, on the back part of the second
and/or third and/or fourth metatarsal head, and/or a so-called
outer retrocapital support 3, on the back part of the fifth
metatarsal head. Said inner 1, median 2 and outer 3 retrocapital
corrective elements are advantageously connected to the sole in a
removable manner. On its lower face, the sole has at least one
recess 4 extending from the inner edge to the outer edge of the
sole, opposite the metatarsal heads, and in which the inner 1,
median 2 and outer 3 retrocapital corrective element or elements
are capable of being positioned. The walls of the recess 4 are
inclined towards the inside of said recess 4 from its bottom to the
edge of the said recess, i.e. to the lower face of the sole, in
order to form a lip 5 at the edge of the recess 4. This recess 4 is
capable of accommodating at least one of the inner 1, median 2 or
outer 3 retrocapital corrective elements represented in FIGS. 4A to
6B. Each retrocapital corrective element 1 to 3 is substantially
triangular in shape and has at its periphery a chamfer 6 so that
the lip 5 at the periphery of the recess 4 holds said retrocapital
corrective elements 1 to 3 in place in said recess 4.
[0038] Clearly, the edge of the inner retrocapital corrective
element 1 and of the outer retrocapital corrective element 3 which
is adjacent to the inner and outer edge of the sole respectively
when the said elements 1 and 3 are inserted into the recess 4 does
not have a chamfer 6.
[0039] Furthermore, the inner 1, median 2 and outer 3 retrocapital
corrective elements are made of a more rigid and denser material
than the material of the sole and are inserted into the recess 4 by
elastic deformation of the lip 5 thereof.
[0040] It will be noted that the particular shape of the recess 4
and the retrocapital corrective elements 1 to 3 prevent any
inadvertent movement, as well as any escape, of said corrective
elements during walking or running
[0041] Moreover, it will be observed that the retrocapital
corrective elements are not in contact with the foot, thus avoiding
any injury to the plantar skin such as cuts, blisters, clefts or
suchlike. Nevertheless, it is very clear that the inner 1, median 2
and outer 3 retrocapital corrective elements can be positioned on
the upper face of the sole without departing from the scope of the
invention.
[0042] Advantageously, with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the sole
has on its lower face a recess 7 positioned in front of the
metatarsal heads, at the plantar cushion, said recess 7 extending
from the inner to the outer edge of the sole, and capable of
receiving a so-called lower anterocapital element 8 having pre-cut
lines 9 in order to enable the creation of a hollow beneath the
callus or calluses and/or skin disorder. These pre-cut lines 9
delimit removable elements. These removable elements extending
opposite the calluses are removed in order to create a hollow on
the lower face of the sole. Moreover, in the same way as before,
the walls of the recess 7 are inclined towards the interior of the
said recess 7 from their bottom up to their respective edge in
order to form a lip 5 round the edge of the said recess 7. The said
lower anterocapital element is flat and has round its periphery,
along its proximal and distal edges, a chamfer 6 in order to ensure
that it locks into the recess 7. In this particular embodiment, the
anterocapital element 8 has 4 pre-cut lines 9 extending from the
proximal edge to the distal edge respectively of the said
anterocapital element 8.
[0043] Thus, with reference to FIG. 3, the retrocapital corrective
elements 1 to 3 exert an upward pressure P1 onto the back part of
the corresponding metatarsal head(s) enabling the excessive
pressures that cause the formation of the callus or calluses to be
corrected. And the hollow or hollows 7 formed by removing the
movable parts of the anterocapital element 8 between the pre-cut
lines 9 allow the sole to be compressed into the hollow when a
pressure P.sub.2 (FIG. 3) is exerted during walking limiting
rubbing against the callus D on the upper face of the sole
simultaneously making walking much more comfortable.
[0044] As the appearance of calluses is often due to a problem of
posture causing excessive pressure on the metatarsal heads, the
sole according to the invention advantageously has
posture-correction means. Thus the sole, with reference to FIGS. 1
and 2, also has a second so-called anti-varus or anti-supination
recess 10, generally rectangular in shape, located along the outer
edge of the sole and extending from the cuboid to the first recess
4 of the retrocapital corrective elements and a final so-called
hemi-dome shaped anti-valgus or anti-pronation recess 11 located
along the inner edge of the sole under the plantar vault. In the
same way as described above, the wall of the anti-varus 10 and
anti-valgus 11 recesses is inclined towards the inside of the said
recesses 10 and 11 from their bottom to their respective edge in
order to form a lip 5 bordering the said recesses 10 and 11. Each
of the anti-varus 10 and anti-valgus 11 recesses is capable of
accommodating an anti-varus 12 and anti-valgus 13 corrective
element respectively, represented successively in FIGS. 7A, 7B and
8A, 8B; the anti-varus corrective element 12 is generally
rectangular in shape and the anti-valgus corrective element 13 is
the shape of a hemi-dome. Each of these corrective elements is flat
and made from a more rigid and denser material that the material of
the sole; these elements also have round their periphery a chamfer
6 in order to ensure that they lock into their respective
recess.
[0045] According to a variation of the sole, the said retrocapital
corrective elements 1, 2 and 3, the anterocapital element 8 and the
anti-varus 12 and anti-valgus 13 corrective elements have fixing
means capable of cooperating with additional fixing means connected
to the lower face of the sole.
[0046] These means can consist for example in lugs projecting from
the upper face of the corrective elements 1, 2, 3, 8, 12 and 13 and
capable of cooperating with corresponding holes located at the
bottom of corresponding recesses 4, 8, 10 and 11, corrective
elements 1, 2, 3, 8, 12 and 13 therefore not having a chamfer and
the recesses 4, 8, 10 and 11 not having a lip 5.
[0047] Alternatively, these means can consist in loops and/or hooks
capable of cooperating with hooks and/or loops in order to form
Velcro-type fixing means.
[0048] Moreover, it is very clear that the corrective means 1, 2,
3, 8, 12 and 13 can be fixed removably onto the lower or upper face
of the sole by any appropriate means well known to a person skilled
in the art or permanently on the lower and/or upper face of the
sole by means of glue, double-sided adhesive or any other means
well known to a person skilled in the art without departing from
the scope of the invention.
[0049] According to a particularly advantageous variation, with
reference to FIGS. 9 and 10, the sole has on its upper face, means
to stress, from the strike of the step usually performed by the
heel, the articular receptors located between the talus and the
calcaneus and means guiding the progression of the foot along the
physiological axis of the gait as described in French Patent
Application 2 676 918, filed by the applicant. These means
basically consist in a profiled channel, called a console 14, and a
set of profiled elements 16, 17, 18 distributed along the entire
length of the sole to create a rail around which the foot is
guided.
[0050] The console 14 extends longitudinally from the heel to the
front end of the calcaneus, just vertically below the neck of the
talus. The said console 14 has a thickness that increases from the
heel to its front end 15. By way of a particular example, the
height of the console 14 increases gradually from 1 mm to 2 mm from
the heel to its front end 15.
[0051] The set of profiled elements 16, 17, 18, from the back
forwards, i.e. from the heel towards the tip of the foot, consists
of a subscaphoidian profiled element 16, a subcuboidian profiled
element 17 and a media-tarsian axial means 18. The subscaphoidian
profiled element 16 extends along the console 14 towards the
interior of the foot in the manner of a hemi-dome. This
subscaphoidian profiled element 16 has in this example a height of
about 2 mm and thus extends the front end 15 of the console 14.
[0052] The profiled subcuboidian element 17, in the top view,
according to FIG. 9, has the shape of a bean corresponding
generally to the projection of the shape of the cuboid on the sole.
This element 17 is located on the outer side of the subscaphoidian
element 16, its convexity turned backwards, at about 45.degree.
from the median longitudinal axis of the sole. The thickness of the
said element 17 increases from the side towards the centre and from
the back forwards gradually to reach a height of about 4 mm.
[0053] The media-tarsian means 18 is oval in shape, i.e. roughly
the shape of a drop of water, widening towards the front and ending
just before the metatarsal heads of the foot.
[0054] This media-tarsian element is domed; its height varies
longitudinally from a height of 2.5 mm to reach a maximum height in
the order of 3.5 mm, at about two thirds of its length. It will be
observed that, during the progression of the step, the console 14
stresses the calcaneus of the foot, whether a flat foot or a
high-arch foot, in order to prepare the continuation of the step
under good conditions; then the subscaphoidian 16 and/or
subcuboidian 17 profiled elements which act as lateral stabilisers
for the foot, encourage the foot to stay within the physiological
rail of the gait and the media-tarsian element 18 prepares the
terminal digitigrade phase of the step by distributing the support
of the foot under the metatarsal palettes so that this support
remains channeled along the axis of the second metatarsal head
through which the physiological axis of the gait passes.
[0055] Advantageously, the sole has on its upper face an upper
anterocapital element called the upper plantar pad 19 extending
from the inner edge to the outer edge of the sole in front of the
media-tarsian element, having a general bean shape, and made of a
flexible material so as to provide cushioning when walking This
upper plantar pad 19 is between 2 and 4 mm in height and is made of
any flexible material well known to a person skilled in the
art.
[0056] According to a final particularly advantageous variation,
with reference to FIGS. 11 and 12, the sole has means to stress,
from the strike of the step usually performed by the heel, the
articular receptors located between the talus and the calcaneus and
means guiding the progression of the foot along the physiological
axis of the gait. These means basically consist in a profiled
channel, called a console 14, and a set of subscaphoidian 16,
subcuboidian 17 and medio-tarsian 18 profiled elements distributed
along the entire length of the sole to create a rail around which
the foot is guided. Moreover, the sole has, in the same way as
before, an upper plantar pad 19. This variation differs from the
previous one by the fact that the console 14 is located on the
lower face. In this way, apart from its function of stressing the
articular receptors during the strike of the step, the console 14
has a straightening function.
[0057] In order to enable the rapid supply of soles to patients,
the invention also includes a conventional foot cast taking device
100, with reference to FIGS. 13 and 14, enabling a foot cast to be
taken by the transfer of ink or by the deformation of foam for
example, well known to a person skilled in the art, and a
transparent or translucent template 110 having pre-defined lines
120 corresponding to the position of the metatarsal heads for
different sizes. Thus, all that is required is to take the
patient's foot cast then match the rear part of the template to the
rear part of the heel of the cast thus taken and read the
corresponding size. As the rear part of the foot cast is 6 mm
further forward than the rear part of the heel, the template has
been designed with this difference in mind. All that is then
required is to insert the retrocapital corrective elements 1 and/or
2 and 3 into the recess 4 of the sole corresponding to the size
measured and cut the lower anterocapital element 8 of the sole at
the cutting lines 9, if necessary, in order to create a corrective
sole to eliminate the patient's callus or calluses. Said callus or
calluses disappear in about a month and the correction made
prevents any appearance of new calluses.
[0058] Lastly, it is very clear that the examples just given are
merely particular illustrations and are in no way limiting as
regards the fields of application of the invention.
* * * * *