Device for use in evaluating the lower leg and foot

A device for use in rendering biomechanical and orthopedic evaluations of the lower leg and foot of a person comprising:

• a base plate to receive the inferior surface of the heel;
• a rear plate connected to said base plate and located in a plane perpendicular thereto, said rear plate adapted to have the posterior surface of the heel located thereagainst;
• a side plate to have the medial side of the heel positioned thereagainst;
• a pair of grooves formed in the top surface of said base plate and adapted to selectively receive said side plate, each of said grooves located adjacent an associated side of said base plate and extending transversely to said rear plate, placement of said side plate in the groove adjacent the medial side of the foot and positioning of the heel in contact with said base plate, said rear plate and said side plate producing a heel reference line parallel to the vertical bisection of the calcaneus bone;
• an axle extending parallel to the plane of said base plate and rotatably mounted on said base plate;
• a forefoot measuring plate mounted on said axle at a position under the ball of the foot;
• first indicating means located on an end of said axle which extends beyond said rear plate, said first indicating means demonstrating the angular deviation of the plane of the ball of the foot from a plane perpendicular to said heel reference line, when the heel is contacting said base plate, said rear plate and said side plate, thus producing forefoot varus and valgus measurements;
• an elongated vertical support pivotally mounted on said rear plate and extending upwardly therefrom;
• lower leg bisectional representing means to provide a rearfoot measuring line parallel to the vertical bisection of the lower leg;
• a parallelogram arrangement to mount said lower leg bisectional representing means on said vertical support for movement of said lower leg bisectional representing means with respect to said vertical support without disrupting the parallel relationship between said rearfoot measuring line and the axis of said vertical support;
• a hinge located in said vertical support to permit motion of said lower leg bisectional representing means backward from said rear plate;
• second indicating means to demonstrate the angular deviation of said rearfoot measuring line from said heel reference line, when the heel is contacting said base plate, said rear plate and said side plate, thus producing rearfoot varus and valgus measurements;
• a pivot pin located on said side plate;
• a dorsiflexion measuring arm having a pivot opening located adjacent one end thereof, said pivot opening adapted to receive said pivot pin;
• and
• third indicating means to provide an angular dorsiflexion measurement upon the foot being flexed upwardly about the ankle, said dorsiflexion measuring arm being maintained parallel to the lower leg with said side plate on the lateral side of the foot, while the ball of the foot is positioned on said forefoot measuring plate and the heel is contacting said base plate.

A device for use in rendering evaluations of the lower leg and foot of a person comprising:

• heel stationing means to automatically provide a heel reference line parallel to the vertical bisection of the posterior surface of the calcaneus bone when the heel is placed therein;
• an axle pivotally mounted on said heel stationing means;
• a forefoot meansuring plate mounted on said axle and located under the ball of the foot;
• and
• indicating means to show the angular deviation of the plane of the ball of the foot from a plane perpendicular to said heel reference line, thus producing forefoot varus and valgus measurements.

A device for use in rendering evaluations of the lower leg and foot of a person comprising:

• heel stationing means to automatically provide a heel reference line parallel to the vertical bisection of the posterior surface of the calcaneus bone when the heel is placed therein;
• a vertical support pivotally mounted on said heel stationing means;
• lower leg bisectional representing means mounted on said vertical support to provide a rearfoot measuring line parallel to the vertical bisection of the lower leg;
• and
• indicating means to show the angular deviation between said rearfoot measuring line and said heel reference line, thus producing rearfoot varus and valgus meansurements.