Methods for designing a foot orthotic

Abstract

A foot orthotic device is disclosed. More specifically described is an individualized foot orthotic device to correct and/or restore the ideal alignment and/or positioning of foot structures. The device is designed using a method and system that applies sequential pressure to regions on a plantar foot surface, and obtaining positional information about each region. Based on the positional information, an orthotic profile is determined, for design of one or more custom, individualized foot orthotic devices for a subject.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system, comprising:
 a plurality of movable elements for contact with a plantar surface of a foot, each element in said plurality capable of independent movement under control of the system for contact with a first region of the plantar surface at a first pressure and a second region of the plantar surface at a second pressure.   
     
     
         2 . A system, comprising:
 a plurality of movable elements defining a surface for receiving a planar surface of a foot, each movable element in the plurality independently movable under control of the system for contact with the plantar surface with at least a first pressure and a second pressure, wherein at least one of the first pressure and second pressure is sufficient to displace a bone in the foot.   
     
     
         3 . A system, comprising:
 an array comprising a plurality of moveable elements, said elements moveable when in contact with a foot placed on said array, wherein at least two elements in the array are moveable independently at different pressures under control of the system to engage a plantar surface of the foot to displace a bone in the foot;   a display capable of displaying a digital anatomy of the foot; and   a computer program, for analysis of the digital anatomy and evaluation of the relationship between two or more bones in the foot, and for determining a pressure adjustment to be applied to a movable element.   
     
     
         4 . A foot orthotic device, comprising:
 a substrate having an upper surface for contact with a plantar surface of a foot, the substrate having a proximal end that underlies the heel of the foot and a distal end that underlies at least a midfoot region of the sole of the foot, and   a configuration that is convex in the sagittal plane and concave in the frontal plane positioned on the substrate to support the lateral cuneiform-navicular-cuboid (LCNC) complex.   
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein the configuration is defined by a convergence of an apex of the convexity in the sagittal plane and a nadir of the concavity in the frontal plane. 
     
     
         6 . A method to design an orthotic device, comprising:
 obtaining a digital anatomy of a patient's foot by applying pressure in a sequential series to localized regions on a plantar surface of a patient's foot, wherein differing pressures are applied to the localized regions in each step of the sequential series, and wherein at least one applied pressure is sufficient to displace a bone in the foot to a restored bone state; and   designing an orthotic device based on the obtained digital anatomy.   
     
     
         7 . A method for determining an orthotic profile, said method comprising:
 applying pressure to a localized regions on a plantar surface of a patient's foot, wherein the pressure is sufficient to displace a bone of the foot to a restored bone state;   obtaining positional information about the foot when the bone is in the restored bone state; and   determining an orthotic profile based on the positional information.