Shoe for Wearing on a Foot of Restricted Mobility During Physiotherapeutic Training

Abstract

A shoe for use by a person having paralysis or other restriction of mobility of one foot allows the foot to roll during physiotherapeutic training to gain walking ability. The upper body is used to at least partially support the person on an appropriate aid device during a step taken by the other foot having retained mobility. The shoe worn on the foot of restricted mobility has at least one omnidirectional roller member at the bottom thereof to allow the foot to roll forward to a position where a subsequent step can be taken. The relatively low level of friction involved in initializing the rolling motion of the foot reduces or eliminates reliance on another person to help move the foot forward during physical therapy.

1 . A shoe for wearing on a foot of restricted mobility, said shoe comprising a shoe body and at least one omnidirectional roller member supported on and extending beneath said shoe body for facilitating rolling motion of the shoe in any direction.  
   
   
       2 . The shoe according to  claim 1  wherein the at least one omndirectional roller member is disposed proximate a toe end of the shoe.  
   
   
       3 . The shoe according to  claim 2  having a frictional braking surface disposed proximate a heel end of the shoe for stopping the rolling motion thereof.  
   
   
       4 . The shoe according to  claim 1  wherein the at least one omnidirectional roller member comprises at least one ball caster.  
   
   
       5 . The shoe according to  claim 1  further comprising a slider member supported on the shoe body and disposed at a toe end of said shoe to facilitate sliding motion thereof on said toe end, thereby preventing tipping of a heel end of said shoe body about said toe end.  
   
   
       6 . The shoe according to  claim 5  wherein the slider member comprises a strip curved about a generally vertical axis to extend about the toe end of the shoe.  
   
   
       7 . A pair of matching shoes comprising a first shoe and a second shoe, only said first shoe comprising a shoe body and at least one omnidirectional roller member supported on and extending beneath said shoe body for facilitating rolling motion of said first shoe in any direction relative to said second shoe.  
   
   
       8 . The pair of shoes according to  claim 7  wherein said first and second shoes having substantially equal height profiles.  
   
   
       9 . The pair of shoes according to  claim 7  wherein the at least one omndirectional roller member is disposed proximate a toe end of the first shoe.  
   
   
       10 . The pair of shoes according to  claim 9  wherein the first shoe has a frictional braking surface disposed proximate a heel end thereof for stopping the rolling motion of said first shoe.  
   
   
       11 . The pair of shoes according to  claim 7  wherein the at least one omnidirectional roller member comprises at least one ball caster.  
   
   
       12 . The pair of shoes according to  claim 7  wherein the first shoe further comprises a slider member supported on the shoe body and disposed at the toe end of said first shoe to facilitate sliding motion thereof on said toe end, thereby preventing tipping of a heel end of said shoe body about said toe end.  
   
   
       13 . The shoe according to  claim 12  wherein the sliding member comprises a strip curved about a generally vertical axis to extend about the toe end of the shoe body.  
   
   
       14 . A method of resurfacing an existing shoe, said method comprising: 
 providing an existing shoe body having a bottom surface;    providing a bottom layer for attaching to the bottom surface of the existing shoe body; and    providing at least one omnidirectional roller member supported on and extending beneath said bottom layer.    
   
   
       14 . The method according to  claim 13  wherein the at least one omndirectional roller member is disposed proximate a toe end of the bottom layer.  
   
   
       15 . The method according to  claim 14  wherein a heel end of the bottom layer extends below the toe end thereof to define a frictional braking surface.  
   
   
       16 . The method according to  claim 13  wherein the at least one omnidirectional roller member comprises at least one ball caster.  
   
   
       17 . The method according to  claim 13  further comprising providing a slider member supported on the shoe body and disposed at a toe end thereof.  
   
   
       18 . The method according to  claim 17  wherein the slider member comprises a strip curved about a generally vertical axis to extend about the toe end of the shoe body.