Intermittent vectored digital manipulation device and method

Abstract

Footwear that includes an interdigital boss that is positioned on the footwear and extends upward from a sole of the footwear in a configuration and direction that is more anatomically correct than an improperly positioned digit of a wearer of the footwear so as to provide intermittent corrective forces on the wearer's foot as the wearer walks that prevent bunions from forming on the wearer's foot. The boss provides a slight corrective motion during load bearing and a non-correcting position during the swing phase of the gait cycle of the wearer so as to stretch soft tissues in the wearer's foot, to provide pain relief, and to delay or prevent the onset of degenerative diseases, such as bunions. The boss causes corrective forces to be exerted on the tissues intermittently, thus eliminating the dull ache experienced by constant corrective devices.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . Footwear comprising:
 a sole including a back portion, a front portion and a middle portion; and   an interdigital boss module mounted to the front portion of the sole, said boss module including a base portion in contact with the front portion and a fin-shaped interdigital boss extending from a top surface of the sole and being configured to be positioned relative to a foot of a wearer of the footwear so as to provide intermittent corrective forces on the wearer's foot as the wearer walks that medially distracts a big toe of the wearer's foot, which prevents bunions from forming or advancing on the wearer's foot.   
     
     
         2 . The footwear according to  claim 1  wherein the interdigital boss module is an integrated single piece member. 
     
     
         3 . The footwear according to  claim 2  wherein the base portion has a general tapered shape from the top surface to the boss and the boss has a general tapered shape from side-to-side and front-to-back. 
     
     
         4 . The footwear according to  claim 2  wherein the interdigital boss module is a plastic member. 
     
     
         5 . The footwear according to  claim 1  wherein the base portion is secured to the top surface of the sole. 
     
     
         6 . The footwear according to  claim 1  wherein the base portion is positioned within a cut-out opening in the sole. 
     
     
         7 . The footwear according to  claim 6  wherein the base portion has a flat top surface that is flush with the top surface of the sole. 
     
     
         8 . The footwear according to  claim 6  wherein the boss module further includes a flange secured to a bottom surface of the base portion and being mounted to a bottom surface of the sole. 
     
     
         9 . The footwear according to  claim 1  wherein the base portion and the boss include an indentation on a medial side of the footwear. 
     
     
         10 . The footwear according to  claim 1  wherein the boss is angled relative to the base portion and a medial-lateral orientation of the footwear. 
     
     
         11 . The footwear according to  claim 1  wherein the boss includes a straight front edge and a curve back edge. 
     
     
         12 . The footwear according to  claim 1  wherein the footwear is a sandal, shoe or boot. 
     
     
         13 . Footwear comprising:
 a sole including a back portion, a front portion and a middle portion; and   an interdigital boss module mounted to the front portion of the sole, said boss module including a base portion in contact with the front portion and a fin-shaped interdigital boss extending from a top surface of the sole and being configured to be positioned relative to a foot of a wearer of the footwear so as to provide intermittent corrective forces on the wearer's foot as the wearer walks that medially distracts a big toe of the wearer's foot, which prevents bunions from forming or advancing on the wearer's foot, wherein the base portion has a general tapered shape from the top surface to the boss and the boss has a general tapered shape from side-to-side and front-to-back, and wherein the boss is angled relative to the base portion and a medial-lateral orientation of the footwear.   
     
     
         14 . The footwear according to  claim 13  wherein the base portion is secured to the top surface of the sole. 
     
     
         15 . The footwear according to  claim 13  wherein the base portion is positioned within a cut-out opening in the sole. 
     
     
         16 . The footwear according to  claim 15  wherein the base portion has a flat top surface that is flush with the top surface of the sole. 
     
     
         17 . The footwear according to  claim 15  wherein the boss module further includes a flange secured to a bottom surface of the base portion and being mounted to a bottom surface of the sole. 
     
     
         18 . The footwear according to  claim 13  wherein the base portion and the boss include an indentation on a medial side of the footwear. 
     
     
         19 . Footwear comprising:
 a sole including a back portion, a front portion and a middle portion; and   a single plastic piece interdigital boss module mounted to the front portion of the sole, said boss module including a base portion in contact with the front portion and a fin-shaped interdigital boss extending from a top surface of the sole and being configured to be positioned relative to a foot of a wearer of the footwear so as to provide intermittent corrective forces on the wearer's foot as the wearer walks that medially distracts a big toe of the wearer's foot, which prevents bunions from forming or advancing on the wearer's foot, wherein the base portion has a general tapered shape from the top surface to the boss and the boss has a general tapered shape from side-to-side and front-to-back, and wherein the base portion is positioned within a cut-out opening in the sole.   
     
     
         20 . The footwear according to  claim 19  wherein the base portion has a flat top surface that is flush with the top surface of the sole.