Protective medical boot and orthotic splint

A medical boot for orthotic or wound-care applications comprising, a two piece boot body that comprises a soft flexible upper panel, and a soft flexible lower panel joined together to form a protective boot around the wearer's foot and lower leg:

• said lower panel including a peripheral edge defining the sole of the boot body;
• said upper panel having a lower-edge coextensive with the peripheral edge so that the upper panel is adapted to surround the foot of the wearer, including the wearer's toe;
• said upper panel comprising a front side portion extending upwardly from the front and side edges of said sole, said front side portion defining an opening exposing substantially the entire upper surface of the wearer's foot;
• said upper panel further comprising a rear portion extending upwardly from the rear edge of said sole to partially surround the wearer's ankle and calf, leaving substantially the entire frontal surface of the lower leg and ankle exposed;
• each of said panels comprising a resilient foam core, an inner fabric covering on the foam core surface facing the wearer's body, and an outer fabric covering on the foam core surface facing away from the wearer's body;
• said inner fabric covering having a soft short nap surface having wicking properties for capturing perspiration that may accumulate on the wearer's body;
• said outer fabric covering comprising a continuous outer surface containing repeating contiguous miniature loops capable of being interlocked with fibrous hook fastener materials;
• said upper panel having an integral leg strap adapted to extend across the front surface of the wearer's leg, and an integral foot strap adapted to extend across the upper surface of the wearer's foot;
• each of said straps having an inner surface that is a smooth continuation of the contiguous panel surface;
• each of said straps having a patch of fibrous hook fastener material on its inner surface adapted to adhere to mating surface areas of the outer covering on the upper panel, for retaining the boot body on the wearer;
• said upper panel having an exposed edge area defined by mating surfaces of the inner and outer fabric coverings heat-fused together to form a seal around the associated foam core;
• and
• said mating surfaces of the fabric coverings extending beyond the associated edges of the foam core, whereby the surface of said exposed edge area facing the wearer's body forms a planar continuation of the associated panel inner surface.