Adjustable foot correcting device

May 29, 1951

I. OLESKEY

2,554,718

ADJUSTABLE FOOT CORRECTING DEVICE

Filed Oct. 17, 1946 '

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

Patented May 29, 1951

2,554,718

2,554,718

ADJUSTABLE FOOT CORRECTING DEVICE

Isadore Oleskey, Chicago, III.

Application October 17,

Claims. (

This invention relates to a posture and foot corrective device adapted to be used by either attachment to the human feet or by merely standing thereon for relatively short intervals for the purposes hereinafter described. More par- I ticularly, it is adapted for correcting deformities of the congenital and related types.

Congenital deformities normally maintain a part of the muscles under abnormal contraction and another part thereof under abnormal stretch. 1 In many instances, such deformities are further increased and aggravated by gravity alone, gravity coupled with other forces such as overload, fatigue, faulty diet and other external forces which compel further contraction of the already 1 deformity-set contracted muscles. In some types of congenital deformities, it is the deformities of the bones which determine what particular muscles should be contracted or stretched, in order to bring about partial or full correction, £ Congenital deformity usually causes certain bones to twist exercising torsion and normally creates a state of abnormal strain upon not only the muscles but also parts of the body and causing incorrect posture. i

Presently known treatments, having as their purpose the correction of these conditions, both medical and manipulative, have been haphazard, and in the fractional part of cases where favorable results have been obtained, they have been 3 accidental.

Correct diagnosis is necessary for successful cure and correction, and the symptoms which are present and which are in manifestation of varying degrees of torque caused thereby should be 3 carefully analyzed and it should be ascertained what bones have deviated from the ideal positions. After this has been ascertained, it can then be determined what bones have deviated from the ideal position, and correct determina- 4 tion can be made as to the direction of “drive” that must be imparted to reduce the torsion and deformity of the patient’s body. For successful accomplishment of elimination or correction of distortion and deformity and for avoidance of 4 increase thereof, it is indispensible that correct diagnosis and correct treatment be practiced. This requires steps and treatment which reduce the torque and which will move parts of the body in directions opposite to the paths that the body £ took in attainment of the particular distortion.

In treatment of many types of deformities, it is advisable to employ the principle of leverage to fatigued contracted muscles in order to compel them to gradually return to normal state to f

1946, Serial No. 703,915

DI. 128—80) thereby draw the bones and organs to their ideal positions. I have found that the employment of either sole lifts and of lifts for the toe ends of the feet based upon anatomical facts that the feet &gt; are the foundation of the body and the proper treatment will eliminate the deformity which has set the direction of the twist and which treatments will reverse the direction of torque wholly or partly causing deformity.

It is the object of my invention to provide means and devices of the herein described class which may be satisfactorily used for the correction of incorrect posture and of congenital deformities, and which include two or more ad5 justably connected members adjustable with relation to each other and adapted to be either stood upon at intervals or optionally attached to the feet and walked upon for a relative short period of time. A further object of my invention is the ,0 provision of adjustable deformity correcting devices comprising portable units which include two or more block-like members which are separable one from the other and which may be mounted and connected together in various relative posi;5 tions wherein the upper surface of one of said members will be positioned and inclined to desired degree in relation with the other, and which units are adapted to support the feet in the desired positions, which positions are neces0 sary for the contraction of some muscles and the stretch of other muscles and for more correct positioning of bones and other parts of the body.

A further object of my invention is the provision of deformity correcting devices of the class 5 described comprising a plurality of block-like members, certain of which are separably connected, and brace members, wedges or shims adjustably and releasably secured in desired positions so as to mount the upper-most member 0 in any desired inclined position with relation to the lower or base member, and which when stood upon or walked with will exercise various muscles in such manner as to gradually correct conditions which cause the deformity.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a posture and foot corrective device wherein the upper foot engaging parts or members thereof are separably connected to the lower and base members and wherein manually ad0 justable means are connected therewith for adjusting the relative positions of said members.

Other and further objects of my invention will be apparent from the following descriptions and claims.

This invention is described in the following

2,554,718 specification with reference to numerals of reference on the accompanying drawing.

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of my novel foot correcting device.

Fig. 2 is an end view looking at the rear thereof.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of said device.

Fig. 4 is a perspective of the adjustable members adapted to provide for adjusting the incline of the foot engaging member both in longitudinal and transverse directions.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation showing an embodiment of my invention with the adjusting elements in normal position.

Fig. 6 is a view of one form of iny invention 1, taken on the same plane as Fig. 2, a portion of the base being broken away and illustrating the use of an additional wedge.

Referring to the drawings, reference numeral 10 designates a base, support or base block 2· which has a substantially flat inclined upper face 10a said base or support 19 being of substantially trapezoidal longitudinal cross section. The base ί 0 may be made of wood, plastic, metal, or other suitable material and its flat 2 bottom face is adapted to be placed upon and engage the floor or other flat supporting surface.

Removably and adjustably mounted on the upper inelined face I Sa is an elongated wedge, block, shim or brace member I ί whose upper and 3 lower faces are flat, though non-parallel, and said brace member 11 is relatively thinner at one end thereof than at the other and is preferably relatively thinner at one lateral edge than at the other lateral edge thereof. Said brace 3 member 11 is shown in the upper portion of Figs.

I, 2, 5 and 6 and it is preferably provided with an elongated longitudinal slot 14, the central portion I4o of which slot is relatively enlarged and wider as indicated in Fig. 4. ,j

Numeral 15 designates a foot engaging member or block which may be made of wood, plastic, metal or other suitable material and which is thicker at one edge thereof than at the other so that its upper face is in a transversely in- 4 dined plane in relation to its bottom face. Said foot engaging member 15 is provided with two spaced apart holes 16 therein which are preferably counter-sunk and which receive releasable securing screws or bolts 17. In assembling the s base, the brace member and the foot engaging member together in the desired relative positions screws 17 are passed through holes IS respectively and through the enlarged slot portion 14a of brace member 12 and into suitably _fspaced holes formed in the base 10.

The relatively large width of the central portion of the slot of I Sa permits the brace member II to be moved sidewise and transversely on the base 10 to the desired degree so as to mount ( the upper face of the foot engaging member 15 into the desired transverse inclination. As the slot 14 opens on one end of said brace member

II, of which brace member may be entirely removed if desired and foot engaging member 15 ( may optionally be secured directly from the upper inclined face of base 19.

As shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 5, a counter or stop 18 formed of leather or other suitable material is secured by nails IS or equivalent fas- 7 tening elements upon one arcuate end portion of the foot engaging member 15. Said counter 18 performs a function of preventing foot from slipping off the inclined face of the device, as such counter will act as a stop to prevent such 7 slipping off movement either by engaging the toes when the foot is positioned in a forwardly downwardly inclined position or by engaging a person’s heel when the user is standing upon one or two of said devices with the front portions of the foot in an upwardly inclined direction. Said device is reversible as well as adjustable as to incline so that it is usable for different types and degrees of deformities, some of which require standing upon one or two of such devices in a direction opposite to that required for other types of deformities.

Some faulty foot conditions and incorrect posture especially those which are caused by in5 correct and improper muscle actions, require for their partial or full correction that the user exercise those muscles which normally hold the foot in faulty position, and some of these conditions require standing upon the corrective de0 vice with the toes toward the lower part and while the. user’s weight or a part thereof is supported upon the foot. These faulty foot and posture conditions are those which require a stretching of the muscles surrounding the for5 ward portion of the ankle and the contraction of the muscles adjacent the heel. In these types of instances, the user will place his foot upon the corrective device with the toes adjacent and at least partially against the foot retaining 0 member or counter 18 at the lower end of the device and at the same time support his weight thereon, preferably for frequent intervals and as prescribed by a specialist.

The correct treatments of certain types of 5 deformity conditions require that the muscles on one side of the leg and foot be exercised differently or to a lesser degree than the muscles on the other side thereof. Accordingly, I have provided a device in which the transverse incline ,0 of the upper foot engaging face of my device may be adjusted by moving the brace member 11 transversely and resecuring it so that the upper face of the foot engaging member 15 will also be disposed in the desired inclined plane accord5 ing to the need of the particular case being treated. This means is illustrated in Figs. 1, 4, 5 and 6.

As shown in Figs. 4 and 6, numeral 29 designates an elongated wedge, block or brace mem,1) ber which has a longitudinally extending slot 21 which opens upon one end of said brace member and which slot is relatively enlarged and of wider dimension in its central portion as shown in Fig. 4. Shown at the lower part of Fig. 4, one lateral edge of said brace wedge is substantially thinner and merges in a narrow substantially sharp edge or apex so that it is of triangular transverse cross section and so that its upper face is in an inclined plane in relation to its jo normally lower face. Said brace member 20 is adapted to be optionally positioned below the foot engaging member 15, and either above or below brace 11, to attain the desired height and inclination either transverse or longitudinal or 15 in both directions. Said braces may be reversed as to their upper and lower faces so that when assembled and secured in the described manner the upper face of the foot member 15 will be disposed in a transversely level plane though being 0 inclined from end to end. While the screws 17 are either removed or loose, the brace member 20 is manually moved to one side or the other transversely of the base 10 to the degree desired inasmuch as the width of the central portion of slot 5 14a permits such transverse movement even

2,554,718 while the screws (7 are in loosened position though within holes 16.

I am aware that various changes may be made in the embodiment of the invention herein specifically described without departing from or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention or any features thereof, and nothing herein shall be construed as limitations upon the invention, its concept or structural embodiment as to the whole or any part thereof except as defined in the appended claims.