Medical teaching aid

#This application is filed under the provisions of 35 U.S.C. 111(a) and claims the benefits of a provisional application Ser. No. 60/015,315 filed Apr. 12, 1996 under the provisions of 35 U.S.C. 111(b).

#This invention relates generally to a medical teaching aid. More specifically, the invention is directed to a teaching aid for instructing medical and health care professionals and lay persons regarding proper foot and nail care and the prevention of foot disorders.

#Medical and health care professionals prefer to teach proper foot and nail care using illustrations, three-dimensional models, and similar visual aids, to assure the student's grasp of complex foot disorders. There is a need for culturally sensitive and graphic intense methods and devices for teaching and illustrating the prevention of foot disorders. Such methods and devices should encourage interactive participation between the medical professional and patient, should provide for the assessment of patient and family comprehension of the malady discussed, and should be useful for the promotion of appropriate self-management of foot disorders.

#The novel features that are considered characteristic of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, will best be understood from the accompanying description of specific embodiments, when read in conjunction with the attendant drawing, in which the FIGURE is a perspective view of a medical teaching aid including a main body portion and selected facsimiles of foot conditions.

#The present invention is directed to a teaching aid comprising a main body portion formed in the shape of a foot, a fabric conforming to the main body portion, the fabric having an inner surface enclosing and adjacent to the main body portion and an outer surface opposite the inner surface, and selected facsimiles of foot conditions selectively and releasably received by and retained on the outer surface of the fabric.

#The instant invention is useful for teaching proper foot and nail care and for instructing the treatment and prevention of foot disorders. Foot disorders may be unique to the foot, may be similar to disorders found elsewhere in the body but distinctly different when occurring in the foot, or may be identical to those found elsewhere in the body. An example of a unique disorder is a congenital deformity involving the arch of the foot, e.g., pes planus (flatfoot) or pes cavus (high arches). Both may be treated with arch supports or may require surgery. A bunion or hallux valgus affects the joint between the big toe and its metatarsal bone and, when properly diagnosed, may be treated by altering footwear. Distinctive conditions include plantar warts (verruca) which are caused by a virus, ingrown toenails resulting from a common bacterial infection, and athlete's foot (tinea pedis) caused by a fungus. General disorders include arthritis, osteoarthritis, gout, tendentious, and atherosclerosis.

#Also, the foot is prone to many skin diseases which occur either through the action of external agents or appear as symptoms of diseases in other parts of the body. Examples include lesions such as a mole, a wheal resulting from an allergy, a tumor, a cyst, or purpura. Lesions may result in impetigo, fissures or sharp breaks in the skin, or ulcers which expose underlying skin. Some foot skin disorders may be caused by chemical or physical agents or infectious organisms. Examples include contact dermatitis, sunburn, poison ivy, heat rash, corns, and calluses. Skin disorders may likewise be caused by infections, resulting in for example, furuncles (boils), carbuncles, or ringworm.