Metatarsal Pad

Abstract

An external metatarsal pad is provided for a woman's high heel shoe. The pad comprises a flexible resilient material having a substantially uniform maximum thickness in the rear portion of the pad. The pad is gradually and uniformly tapered at its forwardmost end from the area of maximum thickness. The pad is secured to the outer lower surface of the sole of the shoe. The tapered portion acts to inhibit the viewability of the pad while the area of maximum thickness acts to cushion the metatarsal area of the foot of the wearer of the shoe.

Description

Women's high heel shoes act to provide maximum pressure on the metatarsal area of the foot. That is, the front portion of the foot must support more of the weight of the body as the elevation of the heels increases. The elevation of the heel with respect to the forwardmost portion of the foot, thus, acts to focus the weight of the metatarsal and phalanges causing the metatarsophalangeal joint to receive maximum pressure. Unfortunately, in women's shoes, the styling thereof dictates that minimum thickness of the sole be provided under the metatarsophalangeal joint. Thus, where the pressure is greatest, the least cushioning is provided in a woman's high heel shoe. Moreover, the manner in which women's shoes are constructed requires a close or snug fit of the shoe at the metatarsal region of the foot so that the shoe will not fall off. Accordingly, there is little or no room for the placement of a cushioning pad within the shoe.

It is, therefore, an object of the invention to overcome the aforementioned problems in women's high heel shoes.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved metatarsal pad for women's high heel shoes.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a metatarsal pad which is adhesively secured to the outer lower sole of a woman's shoe.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved metatarsal pad for women's high heel shoes which is secured to the outer lower surface of the woman's shoe and which is substantially invisible yet provides maximum cushioning of the metatarsophalangeal joint of the foot.

These and other objects of the invention are achieved by providing an external metatarsal pad for a woman's high heel shoe. The pad comprises a flexible resilient material having a substantially uniform maximum thickness in the rear portion of the pad. The pad is gradually and uniformly tapered to its forwardmost end from the area of maximum thickness. The pad is secured to the outer lower surface of the sole of the shoe. The tapered portion acts to inhibit the viewability of the pad while the area of maximum thickness acts to cushion the metatarsal area of the foot of a wearer of the shoe.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the lowermost portion of a woman's high heel shoe embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a metatarsal pad embodying the invention per se; and

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3--3 in FIG. 2.

Referring now in greater detail to the various figures of the drawing wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts, a woman's high heel shoe embodying the invention is shown generally at 20 in FIG. 1.

Shoe 20 basically includes an elevated or high heel 22 and a sole 24. Secured to the sole 24 is a pad 26. Shoe 20 is of conventional construction and, of course, includes shoes having soles made of leather or thermoplastic substitutions therefor.

Pad 26 is basically comprised of a flexible resilient material capable of providing a cushioning effect for the metatarsal area of the foot.

As best seen in FIG. 3, the pad 26 includes a rear portion 28 which is the thickest portion of the pad and which is uniformly thick. Portion 28 extends approximately one-third of the length of the metatarsal pad from the rear of the pad towards the forwardmost end 30. Portion 32 is substantially uniformly tapered from area 28 to the forwardmost end 30.

As best seen in FIGS. 1 and 3, the outer periphery 34 which extends around the rear portion 28 of the metatarsal pad is rounded. Prior to securement of the pad 26 on the lower outer surface of a sole of a woman's shoe, the uppermost surface 36 of the pad is substantially flat. The flexible nature of the material comprising the metatarsal pad 26 enables the pad to conform to the shape of the sole 24 of the shoe 20.

The metatarsal pad 26 is preferably secured to the sole 24 by an adhesive. A preferred adhesive is Duall No. 88 All Purpose Cement which is applied between the top surface 36 of the pad 26 and the sole 24.

The rearmost edge 34 of pad 26 is positioned below the metatarsal heads of the foot and the forwardmost portion of the pad extends towards the toes of the foot. The portion 28 of the pad is positioned directly below the metatarsophalangeal joint to provide maximim cushioning.

The external metatarsal pad 26 is also so dimensioned that the periphery of the pad is spaced inwardly from the periphery of the sole of the shoe as seen in FIG. 1 to further prevent visibility of the pad.

It can, therefore, be seen that a new and improved metatarsal pad has been provided. The maximum thickness area of the metatarsal pad provides maximum cushioning to the metatarsal area of the foot while the tapered portion of the pad makes the pad substantially invisible since viewability thereof is inhibited. The pad is quickly added to the shoe and does not alter in any manner the fit of the shoe to the foot.

Moreover, since the external metatarsal pad elevates the forefoot only, there is redistribution of the weight on the foot which causes a reduced load on the metatarsophalangeal joint as more of the weight of the body is received by the heel. The stress on the metatarsophalangeal joint is further relieved by the elevation of the forefoot with respect to the heel thereby reducing the angle of elevation of the metatarsal.

Without further elaboration, the foregoing will so fully illustrate my invention that others may, by applying current or further knowledge, readily adapt the same for use under various conditions of service.

Claims

What is claimed as the invention is:

1. In combination a high heel shoe and a metatarsal pad for said shoe, said pad comprising a flexible resilient material, said pad being secured to the tread face of the shoe tread sole and extending from the toe area to the break line of the shoe, said pad having tapered side and front marginal portions, gradually thickening towards the heel to maximum thickness on the rear central portion thereof, said tapered portion acting to inhibit the viewability of said pad while said area of maximum thickness acts to cushion the metatarsal area of the foot of a wearer of said shoe.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said pad is adhesively secured to the sole of said shoe.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein the periphery of said pad is spaced inwardly of the periphery of said sole to further inhibit visibility of said pad.