US2031510A - Arch and heel support - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 18, 1936. E. M. STEWART ET AL 2,031,510

ARCH AND HEEL SUPPORT Filed June 29, `1935 ATTORNEY rcicntcti Feb. is, 1936,k l :i l y 2,031,510

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Anon 4nim HEEL SUPPORT M. Stewart and Seymour Shagrln, Youngstown, Ohio Appiicctionounc 29, 1935, serial No. 29,111

, c claims: (01. sti-zii This invention relates to arch and heel supports tarsal joint. This is checked when the anterior which may be used in combination with an inner part of the os calcis cannot come down any fursoie or as a part of a shoe construction. 1their.

The principal object of the invention is to pi'o- Next the head of the astragaius is displaced invid@ n arch and heel support so constructed that wardly by rotation oi this bone on its vertical the arch is properly supported and held in this axis. The structures above, below, andin front of position by the heel support construction which the astrogolus oro wetted by the changed posicauses the foot, when weight is placed thereon, to tion f this bOne. maintain its natural foot form and to prevent the I The alfmgafllis. after heving rotated inward on l@ sinking of the 09 cams or the heel bone, and the its vertical axis, causes a tilting of the superior 10 mmm of the arch. surface of the os calcisto the inner side of the foot,

A further.object is to provide a, cushion member bewust? mOSiO the Weight of the body now falls for the heel provided with two or more grades of on the inner side of the heel bone and not through resilient material such as sponge rubber, one area the Center as it DOI'mailLv Should. This altered w being made of relatively more resilient material Position 0f the 0S Galois CaliSS the astragalus to man member. n glide downward and inward on itas far as the A stm further object is to provide a proper sup connecting ligaments will permit, thereby increasport fr the metata rsa1 s ing its internal lateral displacement still more.

with tno foregoing and cthcrcbjccts in view The head 0f the estrogens connected to the which wm appear as the description proceeds, the mphqid. by its inward rotation changes its relainvention resides in the combination and arrangetionshlp t0 5h15 bone and through it disturbs the ment of puts and m the details -,construction relation of the forefoot to the rest of the foot. hereinafter described and claimed, it being under- Through the inward rotation of the head 0f stood that changes in the precise' embodiment of the asimgalus under weight bearing, therel oc'- the invention hel-em disclosed, can be made curs an angulation between fore and rear foot within the scqpe of what is claimed, Without Q of the metatarsal joint. That brings the foreming from the Spirit of the invention foot, in its relation to theother two bones, into a The invention is illustrated in the accompany- Position 0f abdultifn 'and Changes 'the Straight .mg drawmg,wherem, and even concave line on the inner side of the 30* Firme i is a side elevation of c shoe with the fi int@ a Convex line with its most prominent arch and heel support in place showing the cross point al' the aStrgalO-Saphoid joint. The Section of the mh and heel support, malalignment of the skeleton is then such that Figure 2 is a op plan view of the arch and heel the supnortlngstructures from below, that is, 85 Support m position upon a shoe sale; the ligaments that ordinarily keep the various 35 Figure 3 is a cross section taken online -3-3 of parts 0f the fooi? longitudinally in proper align- Figure 2 ment, cannot perform their functions.

mgm-e 4 is a side elevation of the arch and heel It is the intention 01' this invention to prosupport showing the samedepressed as it would Vide an arch and heel Support Which Will Drebc with weight placca thereon and showing the Vent the maiolisnment of the foot bones and 40 y manner in which the supprts -nfom to the which will support the foot in its normal position.

have of the foot bones KK Thus lateral displacement of the bones on the .Insure 5 is a cross section taken on une 5 5 of inner side oi' the foot is prevented and the os Figure calcis kept in straight alignment, and downward Many people have some type of fooi; pathology, displacement cannot occur and breaking down of. 45

the most common of which is weak foot. In weak the longitudinal arch iS imDOSSible.-

' foot, the ligaments and muscles supporting 'the Referring 110W t0 'the drawing it will be seen arched structure of the 4foot and principally its that a skeleton of thefoot is shown in Figures 4 inner side, are too weak to carry the load of the and 5 where numeral i represents the os calcis:

body Weight, Thus on weight bearing the fooi; 2, the astragalus; 3,'the scaphoid; 4. the internal collapses. As soon as a person bears weight on Cuneiform; 5, a metatarsal; 6. a proximal phathe foot, the anterior part of the os calcis sinks lanX; 1, the tibia; and 8, the bula. down. The anterior part of the astragalus, its By referring to Figure 1 it -will be seen that head, has to follow this movement, since this bone there is provided a shoe 9 in which is a structure in; and ilattening of the foot through the metamade of sponge rubber. and a heel support Il rests upon the former. The result is a lengthencomprising a resilient body portion i0 preferably 55A..

formed oi a relatively more resilient material than the body portion ill. This. heel support is also preferably oi sponge rubber.

By referring to Figures 2 and 3 it will be seen that this resilient body portion lil is constructed with a metatarsal support i2 having its iront edge I3 shaped so as to conform with the varying lengths of the metatarsal bones 5, and providing a support for the same. The body portion I0 is built up at a point ifi to provide a support for the arch of the foot. It Will be seen that there is provided a tab extension i5 at the point it in order that the same may be attached to the side wall' of the shoe in order to holdit up underneath the arch when the shoe is properly laced, thereby utilizing the side shoe structure and the variations in the lacing.

It will also be seen that the heel support lI rests in a semi-saucer shaped recess I6 in the body portion I0 and is positioned slightly to the outer side of the heel portion of the body portion I9 in order to conform to the shape of the os calcis. This heel portion II is elongated in order to provide a support which fits the lower end portion I1 of the os calcis I. (See Fig. 4.)

ReferringI to Figures 4 and 5 it will be seen that the foot skeleton represents the foot under weight so as to showY the built up portion I4 of the body portion I0 coming underneath the inner longitudinal arch of the foot and a point IILof the built up portion Il tting directly in front of the lower end portion I'I of the os calcis I. It will be seen that the heel of the foot would take a position as indicated by a pocket formed by the depression of the relatively more resilient heel portion II.

It is understood that the shoe sole'construction as above described should be worn in every shoe in order to prevent a weakened condition of the foot, and it is especially beneficial in the correction of the malalignment of the foot bones.

It is also desirable that shoes constructedk for athletes should give the desired support in order to eliminate the danger of injuring the foot, This invention is adaptable to this particular type o! shoeg It is obvious from the foregoing description aosmio i that we nd that the flattening of the foot nnder weight bearing is not accomplished sy a simple and direct downward displacement of the bones forming the arch of the foot that enter into the formation of the inner side of the longitudinal arch, but their downward displacement must be preceded by an internal vlateral displacement of some of the bones so as to escape the resistance offered to their downward displacement by the strong supporting structure directly beneath them.

It is understood that While it is desirable to build the device in every shoe, it may readily Abe adapted to be used as an insole in a shoe which has been built to conform to the ordinary construction.

What we claim iszj Il. In an arch and heel support; a resilient body portion, an elongated semi-saucer shaped recess in the heel of said body portion, a resilient heel support in sai'd recess, said recess formed slightly to the outside of the heel portion of the body portion, an inner longitudinal arch support formed in said body portion, a built up portion on said arch support, a tab extension on said built up portion to be attached to a shoe, a metatarsal support in said body portion having its front edge shaped to conform to the varying lengths of the metatarsal bones.

2. In an arch and heel support, a resilient body portion, an elongated semi-saucer shaped recess in the heel of said body portion, a resilient heel support in said recess, said recess formed slightly to the outside ofthe heel portion oi the body portion, an inner longitudinal arch support formed in said body portion, said arch support being sovshaped as to form a support directly in front uof the lower end portion oi' the os calcis or heel bone, a built up portion on said arch support, a tab extension on said built up portion to be attached to a. shoe, a metatarsal support in said body portion having its iront edge shaped to conform to the varying lengths of the metatarsal bones.

EARL M. STEWART. SEYMOUR SHAGRIN.

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