System for treatment of plantar fasciitis

• US 20050228332A1
• Filed: 04/02/2004
• Published: 10/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied BioKinetics LLC
• Original Assignee: Donald P. Bushby
• Inventors: Bushby, Donald P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,414,511 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 602/61
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/142 situated under the medial arch, i.e. under the navicular or cuneiform bones
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/1425 situated under the ball of the foot, i.e. the joint between the first metatarsal and first phalange
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/143 situated under the lateral arch, i.e. the cuboid bone
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/1435 situated under the joint between the fifth phalange and the fifth metatarsal bone
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/144 situated under the heel, i.e. the calcaneus bone
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/1445 situated under the midfoot, i.e. the second, third or fourth metatarsal
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/145 situated under the toes, i.e. the phalanges
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/1495 with arch-supports of the bracelet type
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/067 for the sole of the foot rigid shoe insertions for supporting the sole A61F5/14
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/00246 in a special way pervious to air or vapours
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/00272 protection of the body or articulation safety barrier for protection of the operator A61F2013/00297; protecting the body against ulcers A61F2013/15024; protection in contaminated, e.g. NBC or industrial toxic ambience A61F2013/15065
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/0028 applying of mechanical pressure; passive massage
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/0091 with disinfecting or anaesthetics means, e.g. anti-mycrobic

Abstract

An stretch resistant plantar fascia support system is provided. The stretch resistant plantar fascia support system is adhesively applied to the foot of a patient for providing relief from plantar fasciitis. A portion of the stretch resistant plantar fascia support system is adhesively attached to the bottom surface of the foot for reducing stress on the plantar fascia.

Claims

1. A method for managing stress on a plantar fascia of a human foot including:

providing a support device, wherein at least a portion of said support device is pre-shaped to be conformed for use with the foot;

adhering at least a portion of said support device to the foot using an adhesive; and

controlling tension in at least a portion of the plantar fascia of the foot, wherein said step of controlling includes sharing the tensile forces applied to the plantar fascia from the forces on an arch of the foot which push the bones of the foot downwardly, said sharing being among the plantar fascia and said support device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of adhering at least a portion of said support device includes:

applying said adhesive to the foot; and

pressing said support device against said adhesive.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of adhering at a least a portion of said support device includes:

applying said adhesive to the support device; and

pressing said support device against the foot.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of adhering at least a portion of said support device includes adhering a foot sole support to at least a portion of a sole of the foot, wherein at least a portion of said foot sole support is substantially stretch resistant.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the step of adhering at least a portion of said support device includes adhering at least a portion of said foot sole support on the foot extending from the heel of the foot to the ball of the foot, wherein said foot sole support has a thickness of less than 30 mils.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the step of adhering at least a portion of said support device includes wrapping an arch strap over an arch of the foot, wherein said arch strap is attached to said foot sole support.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein the step of adhering at least a portion of said support device includes adhering a heel strap to at least a portion of a heel of the foot, wherein said heel strap is attached to said foot sole support.

8. The method of claim 4 wherein the step of adhering at least a portion of said support device includes wrapping a front strap laterally across the foot near a ball of the foot, wherein said front strap is attached to said foot sole support.

9. The method of claim 1 including:

removing a protective cover from said support device, wherein said protective cover is removably adhered to said adhesive.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said support device includes indicia that indicate the order in which portions of said support device are attached to the foot.

11. The method of claim 4 including:

transporting moisture from a surface of the foot positioned between said foot sole support and the foot,

wherein at least a portion of said foot sole support is made of a permeable material and the moisture is transported through said permeable material.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein said method includes treating pain in at least one of the heel, or arch or ball of the foot.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein said controlling step includes preventing extension and stretching of the plantar fascia of the foot.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein said controlling step includes reducing tension on the plantar fascia of the foot.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said support device is made of a plurality of materials which in combination are substantially stretch resistant.

29. The method of claim 1, wherein said support device includes a plurality of protective covers and wherein said method further includes removing said plurality of protective covers from the support device in order to adhere the support device to the foot.

31. The method of claim 1, wherein said support device includes a plurality of straps and wherein said step of adhering at least a portion of the support device to the foot includes adhering said plurality of straps to the foot generally transversely to the support device to secure the support device to the foot.

33. The method of claim 1, wherein said support device includes a foot sole support that is pre-shaped in accordance with the shape of the sole of the foot and wherein the step of adhering at least a portion of the support device to the foot includes adhering said foot sole support to at least a portion of the sole of the foot.

35. The method of claim 1, wherein said method further includes providing at least one strap and adhering said at least one strap to the foot separately from the support device.

37. The method of claim 1, wherein said support device includes medicinal additives and wherein the step of adhering at least a portion of the support device to the foot includes applying said medicinal additives included in the support device to the foot.

39. The method of claim 1, further providing an arch strap on the support device, wherein the support device has a thickness of less than 30 mils, an adhesive, and a protective cover, wherein said step of adhering at least a portion of said support device includes wrapping the arch strap over the arch of the foot.

41. The method of claim 5, wherein said method further includes providing at least one strap and adhering said at least one strap generally transversely to said support device between the heel of the foot and ball of the foot, wherein said strap is less than 30 mils thick.

43. The method of claim 1, wherein said support device is a of generally uniform thickness having holes that allow moisture to evaporate away from the foot.

12. A system for managing pain in a human foot including:

a support device, wherein at least a portion of said support device is substantially stretch resistant;

an adhesive; and

a removable protective cover over at least a portion of the adhesive, wherein said protective cover is removed from said adhesive and said adhesive affixes at least a portion of said support device to the foot, whereby tension is shared between the plantar fascia and said support device to control the stress in at least a portion of the plantar fascia.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein said support device includes a foot sole support affixed to at least a portion of a sole of the foot, wherein said foot sole support is pre-shaped to match the sole of the foot.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein said support device includes a sole portion that is substantially stretch resistant and includes at least one tab and at least one strap that are affixed to the foot generally transversely to said sole portion.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein said support device includes an arch strap wrapped over an arch of the foot, wherein said arch strap is attached to said foot sole support.

16. The system of claim 13 wherein said support device includes a heel strap adhered to at least a portion of a heel of the foot, wherein said heel strap is attached to said foot sole support.

17. The system of claim 13 wherein said support device includes a front strap wrapped laterally across the foot near a ball of the foot.

18. The system of claim 12 wherein said support device includes at least one removable protective cover, wherein said at least one removable protective cover is removably adhered to said adhesive.

19. The system of claim 12 wherein said support device includes indicia that indicate the order in which portions of said support device are to be attached to the foot.

20. The system of claim 12 wherein said support device is made of a permeable material that allows moisture to move from the surface of the foot through said permeable material.

25. The system of claim 12, wherein said support device is affixed to the foot to treat pain in at least one of the heel, or arch or ball of the foot.

26. The system of claim 12, wherein said support device prevents extension and stretching of the plantar fascia of the foot.

27. The system of claim 12, wherein said support device reduces tension on the plantar fascia of the foot.

28. The system of claim 12, wherein at least a portion of said support device is made of a plurality of materials which in combination are substantially stretch resistant.

30. The system of claim 12 further comprising a plurality of protective covers removably joined to said support device.

32. The system of claim 12 further including a plurality of straps that are affixed to the foot generally transversely to said support device.

34. The system of claim 12, wherein said support device includes a foot sole support that is pre-shaped in accordance with the shape of the sole of the foot, said foot sole support being affixed to at least a portion of the sole of the foot.

36. The system of claim 12, further including at least one strap that is affixed to the foot separately from said support device.

38. The system of claim 12, wherein said support device includes at least one of medicinal additives, anti-fungal treatments, anti-microbial treatments, anti-inflammatory treatments, deodorants, and tea tree oil.

40. The system of claim 12, wherein said support device includes a Rayon fabric having a thickness of less than 30 mils, an adhesive, and a protective cover and said support device includes an arch strap that is wrapped over the arch of the foot.

42. The system of claim 12, wherein said support device includes holes to allow evaporation of moisture away from the foot.