Forefoot orthotic device

A forefoot orthotic device for use in connection with a user's foot, the user's foot characterized by a forefoot and metatarsal heads one through five, the device comprising:

• an element sized and shaped to underlie the forefoot, the element having opposite upper and lower surfaces, opposite proximal and distal ends, opposite lateral and medial sides, and resiliently compressible material extending between the opposite surfaces, the opposite ends and the opposite sides;
• wherein the element has a central longitudinal axis, the lower surface of the element having at least three points defining a lower plane of reference for the element when the device is in use;
• wherein the lateral and medial sides have respective lateral and medial side edges, the lateral and medial side edges located further from the central longitudinal axis at the distal end than at the proximal end;
• at least two substantially symmetrical expanded areas located at the lateral and medial sides, respectively, on the distal end of the element:
• wherein the expanded areas are laterally spaced from each other by a predetermined amount and face upwardly to underlie the first and the fifth metatarsal heads of the user's foot when received on the device, the predetermined amount corresponding to a distance between the first and fifth metatarsal heads of the user's foot selected as a function of an intended size of the user's foot, the intended size ranging from child size 1 to adult male size 16 and corresponding to between 2.5 inches and 3.5 inches;
• wherein the upper surface extends upwardly and inwardly from the opposite ends and the opposite sides to define corresponding, opposite proximal and distal areas, and opposite lateral and medial areas, the proximal, distal, medial, and lateral areas having respective central portions defining a plateau raised relative to the lower plane of reference;
• and
• wherein the resiliently compressible material of the element is configured so that the medial and lateral areas are more rigid than portions of the distal area adjacent the medial and lateral areas to offload weight while the user is standing or impact forces during a toe-off phase of the user's gait from regions of the forefoot proximal of the distal area toward regions of the forefoot overlying the distal area.

A forefoot orthotic device for use in connection with a user's foot, the user's foot characterized by a forefoot and metatarsal heads one through five, the device comprising:

• an element sized and shaped to underlie the forefoot, the element having opposite upper and lower surfaces, opposite proximal and distal ends, opposite lateral and medial sides, and resiliently compressible material extending between the opposite surfaces, the opposite ends and the opposite sides:
• wherein the element has a central longitudinal axis, the lower surface of the element having at least three points defining a lower plane of reference for the element when the device is in use;
• wherein the lateral and medial sides have respective lateral and medial side edges, the lateral and medial side edges located further from the central longitudinal axis at the distal end than at the proximal end;
• two substantially symmetrical expanded areas located at the lateral and medial sides, respectively, on the distal end of the element;
• wherein the expanded areas are laterally spaced from each other by a predetermined amount and face upwardly to underlie the first and the fifth metatarsal heads of the user's foot when received on the device, the predetermined amount corresponding to a distance between the first and fifth metatarsal heads of the user's foot selected as a function of an intended size of the user's foot, the intended size ranging from child size 1 to adult male size 16 and corresponding to between 2.5 inches and 3.5 inches:
• wherein the upper surface extends upwardly and inwardly from the opposite ends and the opposite sides to define corresponding, opposite proximal and distal areas, and opposite lateral and medial areas, the proximal, distal, medial, and lateral areas having respective central portions defining a plateau raised relative to the lower plane of reference;
• wherein the lower surface has a circumference and extends inwardly and upwardly therefrom relative to the lower plane of reference to define a concavity, and wherein the resiliently compressible material and the concavity are dimensioned to deflect the concavity toward the lower plane of reference prior to a toe-off phase while in use during a gait cycle of the user and to return the concavity from the deflected position to an un-deflected position after the toe-off phase of the gait cycle of the user.