Boots – shoes – and leggings – Insoles
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-28
2001-09-11
Patterson, M D (Department: 3728)
Boots, shoes, and leggings
Insoles
C036S044000, C036S142000, C036S145000, C036S173000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06286232
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to shoe insoles, and more particularly, to improved insoles particularly adapted for pregnant women.
Up to eighty percent of pregnant women suffer from lower back pain. In addition, hip, leg, arch and heel pain are also common. Further, there is a significant increase in the severity and frequency of back, hip, leg and foot pain between the second and third trimesters.
As a result of this pain, and further due to physiological changes associated with pregnancy, such as an increase in weight, a change in weight distribution, tissue and joint laxity, changes in hormones, etc., women progressively alter their posture and gait, in an attempt to alleviate this pain.
In addition to the relation between increasing girth and increasing body mass relative to back pain, it has been found by the inventors herein that a statistically significant correlation exists between the severity and frequency of lower back pain and increasing pressure in the arch region, resulting in overpronation, that is, excessive flattening of the longitudinal arch of the foot. Further, it has been discovered by the inventors herein that, although not correlating with back pain, there is an increase in the pressure and time spent in the forefoot region by pregnant women.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,408,402 to Looney discloses a supportive shoe and insert which compensates for changes in body weight and center of gravity which occur during pregnancy. Specifically, Looney provides increased support to specific areas of the foot. Looney teaches that, due to the increase in weight of a pregnant woman during pregnancy, the center of gravity of the woman shifts forward, thereby necessitating an increase in weight toward the back of the shoe to compensate for this forward shift. This at least suggests a rearward tilt of the insole. However, the inventors herein have found that an insole with an elevated forefoot relative to the heel, similar to that suggested by Looney, results in increased back, hip, leg and foot pain, contrary to the desired results recited in Looney.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,174,052 to Schoenhaus et al discloses a dynamic stabilizing inner sole system in which the inner sole is cut away at the center so as to form a substantially U-shaped section which extends to the heel and arch, but does not extend to the forefoot. The longitudinal center of the inner sole is cut away so that there is no effective tilt to the foot, no cushioning at the forefoot, and little cushioning at the heel. This patent also discloses a 5 varus at the heel, but this varus terminates at the center of the heel and does not extend to the lateral side. This insole was tested on pregnant women and was found not be very effective in relieving back and leg pain.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an insole that overcomes the problems with the aforementioned prior art.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an insole that relieves lower back, hip, leg and foot pain during pregnancy.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an insole which reduces or eliminates overpronation.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an insole that reorients the foot to provide correction at all portions of the stride.
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a removable insole for insertion into footwear, includes a forefoot portion for extending at least to metatarsals of a foot; a heel portion having a varus in the range of approximately 2 degrees to 9 degrees which slopes from a medial side of the insole to a lateral side of the insole; a medial arch portion connecting together the forefoot portion and the heel portion; and
an upper surface extending along the forefoot, arch and heel portions, and having a downward inclination from the heel portion to a front section of the arch portion in a range greater than zero degrees and not greater than approximately 5 degrees.
The downward inclination is preferably approximately 2 degrees.
In one embodiment, the varus is in the range of approximately 2 degrees to 7 degrees for both left and right feet, and preferably approximately 5 degrees for both left and right feet. In another embodiment, the varus is in the range of approximately 3 degrees to 9 degrees for a left foot and approximately 2 degrees to 7 degrees for a right foot, and preferably approximately 7 degrees for the left foot and approximately 5 degrees for the right foot. To accomplish this, the heel portion is thicker at the medial side of the insole than at the lateral side of the insole.
Also, the heel portion is cupped to maintain the heel in order for the varus to operate on the heel of the foot supported thereby. The cupped heel portion is formed by a relatively flat central portion and a sloped side wall.
Still further, the medial arch portion extends forwardly to approximately the first metatarsal of the foot supported thereby, and extends rearwardly of the front section of the heel portion.
A lateral flange extends around the periphery of at least the heel portion and extends forwardly at least to a midfoot portion of the insole to prevent abduction of the foot supported thereby.
In addition, a top cover is secured to the upper surface, and at least one pattern trim line is formed at the forefoot portion for trimming the insole to fit into smaller size footwear.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, footwear includes an outer sole; an inner sole connected to the outer sole, the inner sole including a forefoot portion for extending at least to metatarsals of a foot, a heel portion having a varus in the range of approximately 2 degrees to 9 degrees which slopes from a medial side of the inner sole to a lateral side of the inner sole, a medial arch portion connecting together the forefoot portion and the heel portion, and an upper surface extending along the forefoot, arch and heel portions, and having a downward inclination from the heel portion to a front section of the arch portion in a range greater than zero degrees and not greater than approximately 5 degrees; and an upper connected to at least one of the outer sole and the inner sole.
In accordance with still another aspect of the present invention, a method for relieving back and/or leg pain in pregnant women, includes the steps of providing a varus of a heel of a foot in the range of approximately 2 degrees to 9 degrees which slopes from a medial side of the heel to a lateral side of the heel; supporting a medial arch of the foot in a raised, supported condition; and downwardly inclining the foot from the heel to a front section of medial arch in a range greater than zero degrees and not greater than approximately 5 degrees.
The above and other features of the invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description thereof which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1144291 (1915-06-01), Boyer
patent: 3990159 (1976-11-01), Borgeas
patent: 4272899 (1981-06-01), Brooks
patent: 4747410 (1988-05-01), Cohen
patent: 5174052 (1992-12-01), Schoenhaus et al.
patent: 5611153 (1997-03-01), Fisher et al.
patent: 5669162 (1997-09-01), Dyer
patent: 5746011 (1998-05-01), Hedstrom
Crane Laura
Snyder Daniel B.
Lipka Robert J.
Patterson M D
Schering-Plough Healthcare, Inc.
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