Custom sole insert for high heel shoes

Abstract

A high heel shoe that contains a sole insert that includes a forward region supporting the forefoot and a reduced thickness or cut out area disposed beneath the first metatarsal head. The reduced thickness or cut out area provides less support to the first metatarsal head than is provided to other areas of the forward region that support the forefoot. The rear region supports the midfoot and the rearfoot including the heel, with the rear region extending from the forefoot to the back of the optional heel. An arch support may also be provided. Also disclosed are the sole insert itself, methods of making the sole insert and methods of making shoes that contain the sole insert.

Description

BACKGROUND[0001]High heel shoes, while very fashionable, can result in significant pain for the wearer, with survey data indicating that the majority of wearers experience pain in the ball of their feet. This symptom is a direct result of the construction of typical high heel shoes and occurs for a variety of reasons. First, the angle of the sole with respect to the horizontal keeps wearer's toes plantar flexed, which reduces the cushioning effect of the fat pad underneath the metatarsals. This angle also dramatically shifts the center of pressure of the foot forward, resulting in much higher loads on the forefoot. Coupled with the tendency of feet to slide down in high heels, and the often narrow toe boxes of the shoes, these factors result in a very uncomfortable load at the first metatarsal head, which is the main weight-bearing portion of the forefoot.[0002]Several solutions have been proposed to alleviate this discomfort. The load on the first metatarsal can be reduced by eleva...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent describes a method for creating 3D models of custom shoe inserts. This involves measuring the dimensions of the foot, selecting a basic insole with matching dimensions, creating a boundary for the hollow area of the shoe, and determining the depth of the foot. This is done by using a compressible material that can be easily deformed and a scanning device to capture the depth of the foot. The technical effect of this patent is the improved accuracy and efficiency in creating custom shoe inserts that fit perfectly.

Problems solved by technology

High heel shoes, while very fashionable, can result in significant pain for the wearer, with survey data indicating that the majority of wearers experience pain in the ball of their feet.

First, the angle of the sole with respect to the horizontal keeps wearer's toes plantar flexed, which reduces the cushioning effect of the fat pad underneath the metatarsals.

This angle also dramatically shifts the center of pressure of the foot forward, resulting in much higher loads on the forefoot.

Coupled with the tendency of feet to slide down in high heels, and the often narrow toe boxes of the shoes, these factors result in a very uncomfortable load at the first metatarsal head, which is the main weight-bearing portion of the forefoot.

The problem is further exacerbated by the tendency of wearers of high heels to “undersize” their shoes, as well as other anatomical variations, including different sized left and right feet.

Thus, a one-size-fits all insole, simply correlated to shoe size, will fail to accurately move the center of pressure away from the first metatarsal head in all cases.

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