Insole

Abstract

To provide an insole that allows easy adjustment of a stimulation site and stimulation intensity according to a subject's foot shape and sensory properties so as to elicit active movement or action.SOLUTION: An insole 1 comprises: a footbed 3 that is placed on a sole of a subject's foot and includes, on a surface facing the sole, a first type of hook and loop fastener 3a; and protrusions 2 of substantially plate shape, each having, on a lower surface, a second type of hook and loop fastener 2b that can be repeatedly attached to the first type of hook and loop fastener 3a, and having, on an upper surface, a first type of hook and loop fastener 2a.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an insole, and more particularly to an insole that provides sensory stimulation to the sole of the foot. [Background technology]

[0002] The human foot is the only part of the body that comes into contact with the ground during standing and walking, and it functions as both a locomotor system with mechanical functions such as shock absorption and load distribution, and a sensory system that transmits contact surface information to the central nervous system. Currently available insoles and orthopedic shoes primarily compensate for the mechanical functions of the foot, such as shock absorption, load distribution, and alignment correction (see Non-Patent Documents 1 and 2). Meanwhile, it is known that insoles that promote sole sensory input can improve static postural control, and the role of insoles in supporting the foot's functions as a locomotor and sensory system has been reported (see Non-Patent Document 3).

[0003] However, with footwear designed to support the functions of these locomotor and sensory organs, the subject's movements are "unconsciously" and "passively" controlled. On the other hand, in the field of rehabilitation and motor learning, which aim to restore physical function and improve movement ability, a process of "voluntarily" and "actively" controlling specific movements and actions is necessary, and it is important to consider how the subject can create adaptive physical functions and move in response to the environment and challenges.

[0004] From these perspectives, a perceptual input type insole (Perceptual Stimulus Insole) has been proposed, which has protrusions for providing plantar sensory input as footwear that induces active movements and actions in subjects by "voluntarily" and "actively" controlling specific movements and actions (see Non-Patent Document 4).

[0005] On the other hand, Patent Document 1 discloses a technology in which acupressure points on the sole of the foot are printed and displayed on the back surface of the insole body, and acupressure material of an acupressure patch can be freely selected and placed in the zone corresponding to the acupressure point on the sole of the foot. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 9-103306 [Non-patent literature]

[0007] [Non-Patent Document 1] Masaya Hasegawa, "Shoe Basics: How to Look at Feet and Shoes for Physical Therapists", 1st Edition, Akira Sakaguchi (ed.), Bunkodo, Tokyo, 2013, pp. 81-95 [Non-patent document 2] Masaaki Sakamoto, Shinichi Sakurai, "The Significance and Challenges of Foot Insoles in Physical Therapy," Physical Therapy, 2011, 28:419-427 [Non-patent document 3] Kenichi Obara and Fumiaki Yoshioka, "The effect of different sole stimulation sites using shoe insoles on the fluctuation of the center of foot pressure," Physical Therapy Science, 2013, 28:801-804 [Non-patent document 4] Masaya Hasegawa, Koji Shimatani, Takuya Goto, et al., "The effect of sensory input to the rearfoot using a sensory input insole and selective attention on gait," Shoe Medicine, 2014, 28:30-34 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] However, conventional methods of stimulating the soles of the feet using insoles do not take into account the different foot shapes, two-point discrimination sense, and sole sensory thresholds of each individual, making it difficult to adjust the stimulation location and stimulation intensity to suit the foot shape and sensory characteristics of each individual subject in order to induce active movement or behavior.

[0009] The present invention has been made in consideration of these points, and its purpose is to provide an insole that allows easy adjustment of the stimulation location and stimulation intensity to suit the foot shape and sensory characteristics of each individual subject in order to induce active exercise and movement. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] In order to achieve the above object, the following solution was taken for the insole.

[0011] In a first invention, the footbed is placed on the sole of the subject's foot and includes a first type of hook-and-loop fastener on the surface facing the sole of the foot, and a substantially plate-shaped protrusion on its lower surface that includes a second type of hook-and-loop fastener that can be repeatedly attached to the first type of hook-and-loop fastener and on its upper surface that includes the first type of hook-and-loop fastener.

[0012] In other words, in the first invention, the hook-and-loop fastener on the upper surface of one protrusion can be attached to the hook-and-loop fastener on the underside of another protrusion, so by stacking another protrusion on top of one protrusion attached to the footbed, the convex shape and size formed by the protrusions on the footbed can be freely changed, making it possible to provide an insole with a simple structure and at low cost that allows easy adjustment of the stimulation location and stimulation intensity to suit the foot shape and sensory characteristics of each individual subject.

[0013] Furthermore, since the protrusions and the footbed are attached via hook-and-loop fasteners, they are firmly pressed together by the weight of the subject, making it difficult for the protrusions to become displaced.

[0014] In a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the width of the protrusion is approximately 10 mm to 21.25 mm, and the thickness of the protrusion is approximately 1.3 mm to 5.2 mm.

[0015] The minimum width of the projections is 10 mm, so sufficient adhesive force is generated between the hook-and-loop fasteners in proportion to the adhesive area equal to the square of the projection width, preventing misalignment of the projections due to friction or bending of the insole.

[0016] Furthermore, since the upper limit of the width of the protrusions is 21.25 mm, a pair of protrusions can be positioned at a two-point discrimination distance of 10 mm at the heel, which is the smallest part of the sole of the foot for adult men and women, at 52.5 mm, and therefore can be positioned to satisfy two-point discrimination on the soles of all adult men and women.

[0017] Furthermore, the lower limit of the protrusion thickness is set to 1.3 mm, the minimum value at which two-point discrimination and perception are possible when the protrusion width is at the minimum limit of 10 mm while standing and loaded. Therefore, even if the load area increases and the stimulation pressure per unit area decreases when the protrusion width exceeds 10 mm, multiple protrusions can be stacked in units of protrusion thickness, making it easy to fine-tune the stimulation pressure.

[0018] Furthermore, since the upper limit of the thickness of the protrusions is 5.2 mm, the protrusions will not get caught and become displaced when putting on or taking off the shoes, and the protrusions can be stably positioned.

[0019] In a third aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect, the protrusions include a plurality of protrusions having different widths and thicknesses.

[0020] The protrusions include multiple protrusions of different widths and thicknesses, which increases the variety of convex shapes and sizes that can be formed by combining the protrusions on the footbed, thereby increasing the degree of freedom, making it easier to adjust the stimulation location and stimulation intensity to suit the foot shape and sensory characteristics of each individual subject.

[0021] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the protrusions have a hardness of approximately 20 to 50 degrees.

[0022] The hardness of the protrusions is approximately 20 to 50 degrees, so there is no inconvenience such as the protrusions being too soft to apply the desired stimulating pressure to the soles of the subject's feet, or the protrusions being too hard to injure the soles of the subject's feet.

[0023] In a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the footbed includes the first type of hook-and-loop fastener on a surface facing the sole of the foot and on a surface opposite to the surface facing the sole.

[0024] The footbed includes a first type of hook-and-loop fastener on the surface facing the sole of the foot and on the surface opposite that surface, so that even if the adhesive strength of the hook-and-loop fastener on one surface is reduced due to damage or deterioration caused by use of the footbed, the first type of hook-and-loop fastener on the other surface can be used by flipping the surface over, thereby providing an insole for the footbed that is highly durable.

[0025] According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first to fifth aspects, the protrusion is substantially disk-shaped.

[0026] Since the protrusions are generally disk-shaped, the adhesive area of ​​the hook-and-loop fastener is larger than that of a rectangle, which increases the adhesive force, resulting in stable placement, and the inconvenience of the corners of the square shape catching on the sole of the foot and damaging the sole or causing the protrusions to shift position does not occur. Also, since the distance between the planar center and periphery of the protrusions is generally constant regardless of the orientation of the protrusions, the distance between multiple protrusions is generally constant regardless of the orientation of the protrusions, making it easy to control the spacing between multiple protrusions arranged on the footbed, and therefore easy to adjust the stimulation site and stimulation intensity. [Effects of the Invention]

[0027] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an insole that allows easy adjustment of the stimulation location and stimulation intensity to suit the foot shape and sensory characteristics of each individual subject in order to induce active exercise or movement. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0028] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 shows a top view of an insole (for the right foot) according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 2 shows an example of the configuration of a protrusion according to an embodiment of the present invention, where Figure 2(A) is a top view of the protrusion, Figure 2(B) is a bottom view thereof, and Figure 2(C) is a side view thereof. [Figure 3] Figure 3 shows the configuration of a footbed (for the right foot) according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which Figure 3(A) is a top view of the footbed, Figure 3(B) is a bottom view thereof, and Figure 3(C) is a side view thereof. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating how to use the insole (for the right foot) according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] Figure 5 shows an example of how to use an insole according to an embodiment of the present invention, where Figure 5(A) shows a top view of the insole and Figure 5(B) shows a side view thereof. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 shows another example of the use of an insole according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] Figure 7 shows another example of the configuration of the protrusion according to the embodiment of the present invention, where Figure 7(A) shows a top view of the protrusion, Figure 7(B) shows a bottom view thereof, and Figure 7(C) shows a side view thereof. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0029] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The following preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the following description of the preferred embodiments is merely exemplary in nature.

[0030] (insole) FIG. 1 shows the configuration of an insole 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The insole 1 can be used in various shoes. Specifically, the insole 1 can be used in various shoes or footwear, such as business shoes, casual shoes, medical shoes, athletic shoes, pumps, sneakers, sandals, boots, etc. The insole 1 may have cushioning properties and form the upper surface of the shoe sole. In other words, the insole 1 comes into contact with the sole of the subject's foot, and the midsole and outsole of the shoe are located below the insole 1. The insole 1 may be distributed as part of a shoe in which the insole 1 is used, or may be distributed independently.

[0031] The insole for the left foot is the same as the insole for the right foot, except that it is a mirror image of the insole for the right foot. Therefore, from here on, we will only explain the insole for the right foot and will omit explaining the insole for the left foot.

[0032] 1 to 3, insole 1 for the right foot includes a substantially plate-shaped protrusion 2 having reusable hook-and-loop fasteners on its upper and lower surfaces, and a sheet-like footbed 3 that is placed on the sole of the subject's foot and has protrusion 2 and a reusable hook-and-loop fastener on its upper surface. Here, the surfaces of protrusion 2 and footbed 3 that face the sole of the foot are referred to as the upper surface, and the surface opposite the upper surface is referred to as the lower surface.

[0033] (protrusion) As shown in Fig. 2, the protrusion 2 is formed by joining a lower surface opposite to the upper surface including the female surface of a substantially plate-shaped hook-and-loop fastener 2a, and an upper surface opposite to the lower surface including the male surface of a substantially plate-shaped second type hook-and-loop fastener 2b. In other words, the protrusion 2 includes the female surface of the first type hook-and-loop fastener 2a on its upper surface and the male surface of the second type hook-and-loop fastener 2b on its lower surface. The hook-and-loop fastener 2a on the upper surface of the protrusion 2 may be of any type as long as it can be repeatedly attached to the hook-and-loop fasteners 2b on the lower surfaces of other protrusions 2, and the hook-and-loop fasteners 2b on the lower surfaces of the protrusions 2 can be of any type as long as it can be repeatedly attached to the hook-and-loop fasteners 2a on the upper surfaces of other protrusions 2 and to the hook-and-loop fasteners 3a of the footbed 3 described later. For example, the hook-and-loop fastener has a loop-shaped female surface and a hook-shaped male surface.

[0034] The material of the hook and loop fastener 2a includes, but is not limited to, 100% nylon, and the material of the hook and loop fastener 2b includes, but is not limited to, polyester / polyethylene.

[0035] The shape of the protrusions 2 may be any shape as long as they can be repeatedly attached to the hook-and-loop fasteners 2b on the underside of other protrusions 2 and / or the hook-and-loop fasteners 3a on the upper surface of the footbed 3 (described later) via the hook-and-loop fasteners 2a on the upper surface and the hook-and-loop fasteners 2b on the lower surface. A generally plate-like shape is preferred. The generally plate-like shape is not limited to a flat shape and may be, for example, wavy, curved, or uneven. In particular, a generally disk-like shape is preferred for the protrusions 2. In this case, the adhesion area of ​​the hook-and-loop fasteners 2a, 2b on the upper and lower surfaces is larger than that of a rectangular shape, thereby increasing the adhesive strength and stabilizing the placement. Furthermore, there is no inconvenience such as the corners of the angular protrusions catching on the sole of the foot, which could cause injury to the sole of the foot or misalignment of the placed protrusions 2. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 2 , the distance between the planar center C and the peripheral edge E of the protrusions 2 is generally constant regardless of the orientation of the protrusions 2. Therefore, the distance between the multiple protrusions 2 is generally constant regardless of the orientation of the protrusions 2. This facilitates control of the spacing between the multiple protrusions 2 arranged on the footbed 3, facilitating adjustment of the stimulation site and stimulation intensity.

[0036] The lower limit of the width W of the protrusions 2 may be the minimum manufacturable width of the hook-and-loop fasteners 2a on the upper surface and the hook-and-loop fasteners 2b on the lower surface, but 10 mm is particularly preferable. In this case, a sufficient adhesive force proportional to the adhesive area equal to the square of the protrusion width is generated between the attached hook-and-loop fasteners, so that the protrusions 2 do not shift due to friction or bending of the insole 1.

[0037] It is preferable that the upper limit of the width W of the protrusion 2 does not exceed the vertical width LF and horizontal width WF of the footbed 3 so that the protrusion 2 arranged on the footbed 3 described below does not protrude from the sides of the footbed 3 when viewed from above, and as described below, 21.25 mm is particularly preferable.

[0038] In adult men and women, the part of the sole with the smallest width is the heel, and it is known that the smallest heel width for adult men and women is 52.5 mm (see Table 1). JPEG2025173180000002.jpg76160

[0039] On the other hand, it is known that the two-point discrimination distance on the heels of adult men and women is approximately 10 mm (see Two-Point Discrimination in Feet with Ankle Sprains, JAPMA 113 (4): e1-e52; doi: http: / / doi.org / 10.7547 / 22-195.), and therefore, according to equation 1, if the width W of the protrusions 2 is 21.25 mm or less, a pair of protrusions 2 can be placed on the heels spaced apart by the two-point discrimination distance of 10 mm, and therefore can be placed on the soles of all adult men and women. In other words, a pair of protrusions 2 can be placed on the soles of the feet of all adult men and women so as to satisfy the two-point discrimination ability. JPEG2025173180000003.jpg14156

[0040] The lower limit of the thickness H of the protrusions 2 may be the sum of the minimum manufacturable thicknesses of the hook-and-loop fasteners 2a on the upper surface and the hook-and-loop fasteners 2b on the lower surface, but is particularly preferably 1.3 mm, which is the minimum value at which two-point discrimination and perception are possible when the width W of the protrusions 2 is the above-mentioned lower limit of 10 mm. Furthermore, even if the stimulation pressure per unit area decreases because the load-bearing area on the upper and lower surfaces increases when the width W of the protrusions 2 exceeds 10 mm, multiple protrusions 2 can be layered in increments of 1.3 mm, which is the thickness H of the protrusions 2, making it easy to fine-tune the stimulation pressure.

[0041] Although there is no upper limit to the thickness H of the protrusions 2, a thickness of 5.2 mm is particularly preferable. The protrusions 2 can be stably positioned because they will not become misaligned due to being caught when putting on or taking off the shoe.

[0042] That is, it is preferable that the width W of the protrusion 2 is approximately 10 mm to 21.25 mm, and the thickness H of the protrusion 2 is approximately 1.3 mm to 5.2 mm.

[0043] Furthermore, the hardness of the protrusions 2 is preferably high (hard) when a strong stimulus is to be applied to the sole of the foot, and low (soft) when a weak stimulus is to be applied, with a JA of approximately 20 to 50 degrees being particularly preferable. In this case, the protrusions 2 are not too soft to apply the desired stimulating pressure to the sole of the subject's foot, nor are they too hard to cause injury to the sole of the subject, resulting in inconvenience. In this specification, hardness is measured using a method in accordance with JIS K6301. The hardness of these materials is not limited to this and can be determined as appropriate.

[0044] The shape, diameter, thickness, and hardness of the protrusions 2 included in the insole 1 are not limited to one type, and may be two or more types. By providing two or more types of shape, diameter, thickness, and hardness of the protrusions 2, the number of types of convex shapes and sizes formed by combining the protrusions 2 having various shapes and the like increases, increasing the degree of freedom, and allowing for more detailed adjustment of the stimulation location and stimulation intensity to suit the foot shape and sensory characteristics of each individual subject.

[0045] (footbed) FIG. 3 shows a footbed 3 for the right foot. The footbed 3 has a bottom surface opposite to the top surface including the female side of a sheet-like first type hook-and-loop fastener 3a, and is joined to the top surface of a sheet-like core material 3b. In other words, the footbed 3 is placed on the sole of the subject's foot, and includes the female side of the first type of hook-and-loop fastener 3a on the surface facing the sole. The hook-and-loop fastener 3a on the top surface of the footbed 3 may be any type as long as it can be repeatedly attached to the hook-and-loop fastener 2b on the bottom surfaces of the projections 2.

[0046] The footbed 3 is made of a durable material that does not cause discomfort to the sole of the foot, since it contacts the sole of the foot and supports the entire weight of the foot. The material of the hook-and-loop fastener 3a includes, but is not limited to, 100% nylon. The material of the core material 3b may include, but is not limited to, 70% polyester, 25% synthetic resin, and 5% chemical additives, depending on durability, cushioning, comfort, breathability, hygiene, etc.

[0047] Alternatively, the footbed 3 may be formed as a single sheet and cut to fit the individual shoe shape, foot shape, and sensory characteristics of the individual subject when the subject uses the insole 1. This can eliminate the steps of creating a mold and punching it out.

[0048] (How to use) A method of using the insole 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0049] FIG. 4 shows an insole 1 including a projection 21 having a diameter of 21.25 mm and a thickness of 1.3 mm, a projection 22 having a diameter of 10 mm and a thickness of 1.3 mm, and a footbed 3 for a right foot.

[0050] The footbed 3 is divided into load-bearing portions 31 to 36 by a major axis L extending from the toe side to the heel side of the foot, a toe axis T on the toe side that intersects the major axis, and a minor axis S on the heel side.

[0051] Loading portion 31 can encourage dorsiflexion, inversion, and adduction of the foot and can teach landing on the outside of the heel. Loading portion 32 can encourage dorsiflexion, eversion, and abduction of the foot and can teach landing on the inside of the heel. Loading portion 33 can encourage plantarflexion, inversion, and adduction of the foot and can induce outward loading during walking. Loading portion 34 can encourage plantarflexion, eversion, and abduction of the foot and can induce inward loading during walking. Loading portion 35 can encourage plantarflexion of the foot, plantarflexion of the fourth and fifth toes, adduction, pushing off with the fourth and fifth toes, and movement of the toes. Loading portion 36 can encourage plantarflexion of the foot, plantarflexion of the first and second toes, abduction, pushing off with the first and second toes, and movement of the toes.

[0052] To induce a corresponding active movement or action, the subject attaches the protrusions 21, 22 to the footbed 3 so that the desired stimulating pressure is generated at the load-bearing portions 31-36. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the subject can adjust the diameter and / or number of layers of the protrusions 2 arranged at the load-bearing portions 31-36, as well as the spacing, to suit the shape of the subject's foot, sensory characteristics, and stimulation portion and stimulation intensity. In other words, the subject can freely change the convex shape and size formed by the protrusions 2 on the insole 1, and therefore can easily adjust the stimulation portion and stimulation intensity to suit the shape of the subject's foot and sensory characteristics.

[0053] Figure 6 shows the results of a simple instruction method using insole 1 in sports and clinical settings to teach attention to the position of the foot's load, such as "landing with the heel" or "kicking with the base of the big toe."

[0054] Figure 6(A) shows an example of an insole 1 (for the left foot) in which protrusions 2 are placed at load-bearing points 32, 33, and 36 on the footbed 3 to match the shape and sensory characteristics of the subject's foot, in order for an instructor to provide movement instruction based on the subject's COP (Center of Foot Pressure) trajectory. The curved COP in Figures 6(B) and (C) is the COP trajectory intended by the instructor.

[0055] The curve COP1 in Figure 6(B) shows the subject's understanding of the task after the instructor's verbal instruction, and the curve COP2 in Figure 6(C) shows the subject's understanding of the task after the instructor instructed using insole 1. Referring to Figures 6(B) and (C), the subject's understanding of COP2 after instruction using insole 1 is higher than that of COP1 in terms of the degree of agreement with the instructor's intended COP.

[0056] In other words, the insole 1 makes it possible to easily adjust the stimulation location and stimulation intensity to suit the foot shape and sensory characteristics of each individual subject in order to induce active exercise or movement.

[0057] (summary) Thus, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the hook-and-loop fastener 2a on the upper surface of one protrusion 2 can be attached to the hook-and-loop fastener 2b on the lower surface of another protrusion 2, and therefore by stacking another protrusion 2 on top of one protrusion 2 attached to the footbed 3, the convex shape and size formed by the protrusions 2 on the footbed 3 can be freely changed, making it possible to provide an insole 1 with a simple structure and at low cost that allows easy adjustment of the stimulation location and stimulation intensity to suit the foot shape and sensory characteristics of each individual subject.

[0058] Furthermore, since the protrusions 2 and the footbed 3 are attached via a hook-and-loop fastener, they are firmly pressed together by the weight of the subject, and therefore the protrusions 2 are unlikely to shift out of position.

[0059] Furthermore, since the lower limit of the width W of the protrusion 2 is 10 mm, sufficient adhesive force proportional to the adhesive area of ​​the square of the protrusion width is generated between the hook-and-loop fasteners 2a, 2b, and 3a, so that the protrusion 2 does not shift due to friction or bending of the insole 1.

[0060] Furthermore, since the upper limit of the width W of the protrusions 2 is 21.25 mm, a pair of protrusions 2 can be positioned at a distance of 10 mm, which is the two-point discrimination distance, at the heel of 52.5 mm, which is the part of the sole with the smallest width for adult men and women, and therefore can be positioned to satisfy the two-point discrimination sense on the soles of all adult men and women.

[0061] Furthermore, the lower limit of the thickness H of the protrusion 2 is set to 1.3 mm, the minimum value at which two-point discrimination and perception are possible when standing and loaded when the width W of the protrusion 2 is at its minimum limit of 10 mm. Therefore, even if the load area increases and the stimulation pressure per unit area decreases when the width W of the protrusion exceeds 10 mm, multiple protrusions 2 can be stacked in units of 1.3 mm, which is the thickness H of the protrusion 2, making it easy to fine-tune the stimulation pressure.

[0062] Furthermore, since the upper limit of the thickness H of the protrusion 2 is 5.2 mm, the protrusion 2 will not be caught and displaced when putting on or taking off the shoe, and the protrusion 2 can be stably positioned.

[0063] Since the protrusions 2 include multiple protrusions 21, 22 of different widths W and thicknesses H, the variety of convex shapes and sizes formed by the protrusions 2 on the footbed 3 increases, providing greater freedom, making it easier to adjust the stimulation location and stimulation intensity to suit the foot shape and sensory characteristics of each individual subject.

[0064] Furthermore, since the hardness of the protrusions 2 is approximately 20 to 50 degrees, there is no inconvenience such as the protrusions 2 being too soft to apply the desired stimulating pressure to the soles of the subject's feet, or the protrusions 2 being too hard to injure the soles of the subject's feet.

[0065] Furthermore, because the protrusions 2 are generally disk-shaped, the adhesive area of ​​the hook-and-loop fasteners 2a and 2b is larger than that of a rectangle, increasing the adhesive force and stabilizing the arrangement, and the inconvenience of the corners of the square shape catching on the sole of the foot and damaging the sole or causing the protrusions to shift position does not occur. Furthermore, because the distance between the planar center C and the peripheral edge E of the protrusions 2 is generally constant regardless of the orientation of the protrusions 2, the distance between the multiple protrusions 2 is generally constant regardless of the orientation of the protrusions 2, making it easy to control the spacing between the multiple protrusions 2 arranged on the footbed 3, and therefore facilitating adjustment of the stimulation site and stimulation intensity.

[0066] In the insole 1, the first type of hook-and-loop fasteners 2a, 3a include female surfaces and the second type of hook-and-loop fastener 2b includes a male surface, but the same effect can be obtained even if the first type of hook-and-loop fasteners 2a, 3a include male surfaces and the second type of hook-and-loop fastener 2b includes a female surface.

[0067] Furthermore, in the insole 1, the protrusions 2 may include an intermediate layer 2c between the hook-and-loop fasteners 2a on the upper surface and the hook-and-loop fasteners 2b on the lower surface, as shown in Fig. 7. This intermediate layer 2c makes it possible to easily change the thickness H and hardness of the protrusions 2. The material of the intermediate layer 2c may include, but is not limited to, polyolefin resin or urethane resin depending on durability, cushioning, comfort, breathability, hygiene, etc., and may also be cloth, felt, rubber, cork, etc. The reference numerals in Fig. 7 are the same as those in Fig. 2.

[0068] Furthermore, the footbed 3 may further include a first type of hook-and-loop fastener on its underside instead of or in addition to the core material 3b on the underside. Because the footbed 3 includes the first type of hook-and-loop fastener on its upper and lower surfaces, even if the adhesive strength of the hook-and-loop fastener 3a on the upper surface is reduced due to damage or deterioration caused by use of the footbed 3, the first type of hook-and-loop fastener on the lower surface can be used by turning the upper and lower surfaces over, thereby providing an insole 1 with high durability for the footbed 3.

[0069] The footbed 3 may also include a piece pre-cut from a single sheet to fit the size, shape, etc. of the sole of the foot. In this case, marks representing the long axis L, toe axis T, and short axis S of the sole may be printed or provided on the hook-and-loop fastener 3a of the footbed 3. The subject can easily attach the protrusions 2 to the desired positions on the footbed 3 based on the marks.

[0070] The footbed 3 may be arranged with the hook-and-loop fastener 3a facing the insole of the shoe, and the protrusions 2 may be attached to the underside of the footbed 3. The protrusions 2 come into contact with the sole of the subject's foot via the hook-and-loop fastener 3a and core material 3b of the footbed 3, and the stimulation from the protrusions 2 is buffered by the footbed 3, making it easy to adjust the stimulation intensity to suit the subject's sensory characteristics. Furthermore, by combining and attaching multiple protrusions 2 to the underside of the footbed 3, parts of various convex shapes and sizes can be formed, and the insole 1 can be used as an arch support, metatarsal pad, etc., like conventional insoles.

[0071] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and includes various modifications to the above-described embodiment without departing from the spirit of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0072] 1 insole 2 protrusions 2a hook-and-loop fastener (female side) 2b hook-and-loop fastener (male side) 3 Footbed 3a hook-and-loop fastener (female side) 3b Core material

Claims

1. An insole, a footbed that is placed on the sole of the subject's foot and includes a first type of hook-and-loop fastener on a surface facing the sole; The insole includes a second type of hook-and-loop fastener on its underside that can be repeatedly attached to the first type of hook-and-loop fastener, and an approximately plate-shaped protrusion that includes the first type of hook-and-loop fastener on its upper surface.

2. 2. The insole according to claim 1, wherein the width of the protrusions is approximately 10 mm to 21.25 mm, and the thickness of the protrusions is approximately 1.3 mm to 5.2 mm.

3. The insole according to claim 2 , wherein the protrusions include a plurality of protrusions having different widths and thicknesses.

4. The insole according to claim 1, wherein the hardness of the projections is approximately 20 to 50 degrees.

5. The insole according to claim 1 , wherein the footbed includes the first type of hook-and-loop fastener on a surface facing the sole of the foot and on a surface opposite the surface facing the sole of the foot.

6. The insole according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the protrusion is substantially disk-shaped.

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