WALKING SHOE FOR ORTHOPAEDIC CAST

SABOT POUR PLATRE ORTHOPEDIQUE

English Abstract

ABSTRACT
"Walking sole for orthopeadic cast"
The sole comprises a single moulding 10 of rubber or
plastics material which has a heel portion 11 with a
downwardly projecting tread portion 12, a ball of the foot
portion 13 with a downwardly projecting tread portion 14
and a flexible toe portion 15. The sore has a raised
heel end 16 with slots 17 in it for straps. The part of
the sole 18 corresponding to the arch of the foot may
also be used for receiving straps.
The upper surface of the walking sole has an
elongated depression 20 or slot by which the sole may be
attached to or located on a plaster cast.
The toe portion 15 is of less thickness than the
remaining portions of the walking sole and it is of
fairly soft or resilient material so that it will flex
easily. It is also of such thickness and material strength
that it can be easily modified (e.g. shortened) or removed
by means of a knife or scissors.
If the walking sole is to be used by a patient who
wants complete free movement of the toes the toe portion
of the walking sole may simply be cut-off. If on the
other hand it is used by a patient who requires some
support for the toes the resilience of the toe portion
then ensures that the whole weight of the body cannot be
transferred to the toe portion thus causing cracking of
the cast.

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive
property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
1. A walking sole or flexible overshoe for an
orthopaedic cast comprising a main body supporting treads
adjacent the heel and the ball of the foot of the wearer
and a toe portion which does not carry a projecting tread
corresponding to the heel and ball of the foot treads and
is of resilient material and of easily removable form.
2. A sole or overshoe according to claim 1 and in
which the toe portion is of less thickness than the
remaining portion of the walking sole to enable it to be
removed easily if it is not required or if it is necessary
to shorten it to suit a particular user.
3. A sole or overshoe according to claim 1 formed
as a single moulding of a resilient rubber or plastics
material.
4. A sole or overshoe according to claim 3 in
which said material is polyurethane.
5. A sole or overshoe according to claim 1 provided
with a central recess or groove.
6. A method of providing a sole or overshoe on an
orthopaedic cast, wherein said cast comprises a main body
supporting treads adjacent the heel and the ball of the foot
of the wearer and a toe portion which does not carry a pro-
jecting tread corresponding to the heel and ball of the foot
treads and is of resilient material and of easily removable
form, said method comprising filling the recess or groove
with an adhesive and attaching it to the bottom of said cast.

7. A method according to claim 6 in which a cast
is formed in its final stages whilst the walking sole is
attached to the cast so that a projection is formed on the
bottom of the cast to engage and locate the walking sole
each time it is put on and off.
8. A walking sole according to claim 1, 2, or 3
adapted to be removably attached to the foot by straps or
tapes passing through slots in the heel and around the heel
part of the cast and/or in the part of the walking sole
corresponding to the ball of a foot.
9. A walking sole according to any of claims 1, 2,
or 3 in which slots in the part of the cast corresponding
to the ball of the foot, or elsewhere are adapted to be
used to act as retention areas for portions of the cast
material to attach the sole to the cast.

Description

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Th-s invention rela~es to a walking sole or
flexible overshoe for an orthopaedic cast.
It is known to employ a simple hand-made wooden
platform with a semi-circular rubber sole attached, the
wooden platform being bandaged onto the cast at both ends.
It is also known to employ a so-called 'heel' which
is literally a heel-shaped member on a short platform
adapted to be attached to or embedded in a cast with a
relatively small surface in contact with the cast. This
'heel' has the disadvantages that it does not prevent
rotation or twist and it adds considerably to the height
of the cast. It has a further disadvantage in that, because
of its small surface area in contact with the cast the
cast tends to crack in the shape of the platform of the
'heel'.
Cast boots or shoes are ~lso known often with
virtually complete upper portions but these are expensive
and a large range of different sizes is required.
There are instances where the patent requires to
have freedom to move his toes completely and independently
oE the boot or shoe so as to allow free movement and
exercise of the toes, for example, when not waIking. The-
e~isting boot or shoe will not allow for this.
It is an object of the present invention to provide
Z5 a walking sole for orthopaedic u~e in which these disadvan-
tages are al]eviated.
`In accordance with the invention a walk~ng sole
or flexible overshoe for an orthopaedic cas~ co~prises a
main body supporting treads adjacent the heel ana the
ball of the foot of the weare} and a toe portion which
does not carry a projecting tread corresponding to the
heel an~ ball of the foot treads and is of resilient
material and of easily removeable form~ -
- Preferably t~e toe portion is of less thickness
than the remaining portion of ~he walking sole to enable
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it to be removed easily as by cutting through it with a
knife or scissors if it is not required or i~ it is
necessary to shorten it to s~it a particular user. The
resilience of this toe portion ensures that the whole
weight cannot be transferred via the toe portion to the
gro~nd and this alleviates the problem oE cracking.
Preferably the walking sole is ~ormed as a single
moulding of a resilient rubber or plastic material such
as polyurethane.
The walking sole may be provided with a central
recess or groove, which may be elongated, to enable the
walking sole to be stuck to a cast by ~illing the recess
or groove with an adhesive and attaching it to the bottom
o~ the cast.
Even if the sole is not attached to the bottom of
the cast by the adhesive the recess is of value in that
i.t enables the cast to be formed in its ~inal sta~es
whilst the walking sole is attached to the cast so that
a projection is formed on the bottom of the cast to engage
and locate the walking sole each time it is put on and off.
The walking sole may be removably.attached to the
Eoot by straps or tapes e.g. of Velcro, passing through
slots in the heel and round the heel part oE the cast and/
or in the part of the walking sole corresponding to the
ball o~ a foot. Alternativel~ slots in the part of the cast
corresponding to the ball of the foot, or elsewhere may be
used to act as retention areas ~or portions o~ the cast
material to attach the sole to the cast.
In the accompanying drawing is shown a perspective
view of a.walking sole embodying the present invention.
The sole comprises a single moulding 10 of rubber or
plastics material which has a heel portion 11 with a
: downwardly projecting tread portion 12, a ball o~ the foot
portion 13 with a downwardly projecting tread portion 14
and a ~lexible toe portion 15.
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* Registered trademark
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In addition the walking sole has a raised heel end
16 with slots 17 in it for straps. The part of the sole
18 corresponding to the arch o the foot may also ke used
as a convenient point for receiving straps.
The upper surface of the walking sole has an elong-
ated depression 20 or slot by which the sole may be attached
to or located on a plaster cast.
As seen in the drawing the toe portion 15 is of
less thickness than the remaining portions of the walking
sole and it is of fairly soft or resilient material so
that ;t will flex easily. It is also of such thickness
and material strength that it can be easily modified
(e.~. shortened) or removed by means of a knife or
scissors.
If the walking sole is ~o he used by a patient
who wants complete free movement of the toes the toe
portion of the walking sole may simply be cut-oEf. If
on the other hand it is used by a patient who requires
some support for the toes the resilience of the toe
portion then ensures that the whole weight of the body
cannot be transferred to the toe portion thus causing
cracking o~ the cast.
In use the toe portion might be removed for short
term patients but retained for long term patients such
as those suEfering from rheumatoid arthritis who are
advised not to bend their toes.
The walking sole is of course applicable not only
to Plaster of ~aris casts but to any of the modern
substitutes for plaster casts such as synthetic tape
systems and the foam casting techniques.
Among the advantages of this walking sole are:-
1. A uniform size for all patients.
2. A toe platform that can be used or removed
by cutting with scissors,
3. It has a good walking shape, allowing people
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to walk through without bending their knee.
4. It is ve~y light not adding significantly to
the casts weight.
5. The depth of the sole is small.
6. The body weight is distributed more evenly
than it would be if a platform or a heel were
used.
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