Orthotic insert device

An orthotic insert for a person's foot, the foot having lateral and medial sides, the insert comprising:

• resiliently compressible material sized and shaped to extend transversely between medial and lateral edges to underlie the medial and lateral sides of the person's foot, and extending longitudinally between rear and distal edges to underlie the person's heel and the person's midfoot;
• wherein the resiliently compressible material consists of first and second portions, the second portion having a durometer value ranging between 10 and 30 higher than the durometer value of the first portion, according to the 00 scale of ASTM D2240;
• the first portion having a corresponding heel area at a first location configured to underlie the calcaneus of the heel when the insert is within footwear worn by the person, the heel area extending distally to terminate at a forward end of the first portion;
• wherein the forward end of the first portion extends between the lateral and medial edges of the insert and, when the insert is within footwear worn by the person, the forward end is located on the insert at a second location configured to underlie the person's foot between the insertion point of the plantar fascia and the sagittal plane arch of the person's foot;
• wherein the second portion extends distally from the first portion to a third location adapted to underlie the mid-foot when the insert is within footwear worn by the person;
• wherein the second portion has a proximal end opposing the forward end of the first portion to form a boundary between the first and second portions, the boundary extending between the lateral and medial edges, whereby the durometer of the resiliently compressible material of the first portion proximal to the boundary is less than the durometer of the resiliently compressible material of the second portion distal to the boundary;
• wherein the proximal end of the second portion has a sagittal arch area defined therein, the sagittal arch area located on the insert to underlie the sagittal plane arch of the person's foot when the insert is within footwear being worn by the person;
• wherein the first and second portions have respective upper and lower surfaces, and wherein the boundary between the distal end of the first portion and the proximal end of the second portion is oriented to slope upwardly between the lower surface of the first portion and the upper surface of the second portion;
• wherein, in response to the weight of the person when wearing footwear with the insert therein, the size, shape and higher durometer of the resiliently compressible material at the sagittal arch area are selected to induce greater supporting force on the sagittal plane arch of the person's foot when wearing footwear with the insert, relative to supporting force induced by the resiliently compressible material at the heel area, whereby the insert is configured to off-load vertical force from the person's heel toward the person's mid-foot.

An orthotic device for a person's foot, the foot having lateral and medial sides, the device associated with footwear to be worn by the person, the footwear having a sole for contacting a ground plane when worn by the person, the device comprising:

• lateral and medial edges defining a width configured to underlie the lateral and medial sides of the person's foot when the device is within the footwear worn by the person;
• a compressible heel portion having a corresponding heel area adapted to underlie the calcaneus of the heel, the heel portion extending transversely between the lateral and medial edges of the device, the heel portion having a length extending from a rear edge to a distal edge and a width extending transversely between the medial and lateral edges;
• wherein the distal edge is located on the device to underlie a location between the calcaneal cuboid joint and the sagittal plane arch of the person's foot when the device is within footwear being worn by the person;
• a compressible mid-foot portion configured to extend distally from the heel portion toward the mid-foot, the mid-foot portion having a midfoot area and a sagittal arch area defined within the midfoot area, the mid-foot area adapted to underlie the person's mid-foot, the sagittal arch area adapted to underlie the sagittal plane arch of the person's foot, the sagittal arch area extending transversely between the lateral and medial edges of the device, the sagittal arch area having a proximal edge opposing the distal edge of the heel portion;
• wherein the heel and mid-foot portions have respective upper and lower surfaces, and wherein the boundary between the distal edge of the heel portion and the proximal edge of the sagittal arch area of the mid-foot portion is oriented to slope upwardly between the lower surface of the heel portion and the upper surface of the mid-foot portion;
• wherein the heel area is characterized by an uncompressed height relative to the ground plane of the footwear and at a location that would correspond to the location of the calcaneus when the device is within footwear worn by the person;
• wherein the mid-foot portion is characterized by a maximum uncompressed height relative to the ground plane;
• wherein the maximum uncompressed height of the mid-foot portion is located within the sagittal arch area;
• and
• wherein the uncompressed height of the heel area is greater than the maximum uncompressed height of the mid-foot portion.