Foot plate assembly with adjustable symmetric retention strap arrangement

An apparatus, comprising:

• a rigid foot plate comprising a foot support surface adapted to support a shoe worn on a foot of a user;
• first and second support members which extend from opposing sides of the foot support surface, wherein at least one of said first and second support members is slidingly adjustable relative to the surface in a direction substantially normal to a centerline along which the foot and shoe are inserted to mate with the plate;
• a first retention strap comprising:
• a medial portion configured to extend across and retain said foot and shoe to the surface;
• and
• opposing first and second strap end portions, each strap end portion removeably attachable to one of the first and second support members by the user, wherein the first retention strap establishes a fixed reference position for the foot by contactingly engaging and limiting further movement of the shoe along the centerline without concurrent contact between the shoe and a heel limit feature or a toe limit feature of the plate along said centerline;
• and
• a second retention strap coupled to the first and second support members and configured to be subsequently cinched to attach the shoe to said surface after said insertion, wherein a selected one of the first or second retention straps contactingly engages an arch portion of the shoe, and wherein a remaining one of the first or second retention straps contactingly engages a heel portion of the shoe.

An apparatus, comprising:

• first and second support members which extend from opposing sides of a foot support surface adapted to support a shoe worn on a foot of a user;
• a retention strap comprising a medial portion configured to extend across and retain said foot to the foot support surface and opposing first and second strap end portions, each strap end portion removeably attachable to the respective first and second support members by the user to establish a single fixed reference for the foot when the shoe contactingly engages the strap during insertion of the shoe under the strap and movement of the shoe in a direction toward the strap;
• and
• a toe guide affixed to the surface to provide an inner alignment surface against which a toe portion of said shoe abuts when the foot is inserted to mate with the foot support surface, the toe guide slideably adjustable with respect to the foot support surface in a direction perpendicular to the centerline.