Footwear with a function to correct human body posture

Abstract

To provide footwear having a function of adjusting the body posture by correcting bow legs or knock-knees so that users can land on their heels naturally and walk with their center of gravity turned outwards. [Solution] This footwear comprises a foot platform and a cover part that is placed over the instep, the foot platform having a toe part and a heel part on which the heel of the foot rests. When the foot platform is further divided into an inner part including the big toe and an outer part including the little toe, the inner part has a flat, thick region, and the other parts of the foot platform are flat, thin regions. The thick region extends from the toe part through the part facing the big toe and its base to the part facing the medial longitudinal arch of the foot. The thin region extends continuously in the longitudinal direction of the foot platform from the part facing the middle toe, ring toe, little toe and their bases, through the part facing the lateral longitudinal arch of the foot, to the heel part.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to footwear, such as sandals, that has a sole portion on which the user's feet rest and an upper portion that covers the user's feet, and in particular to footwear that has a function of correcting the posture of the human body. [Background technology]

[0002] Footwear such as sandals generally consist of a flat sole shaped like the sole of the foot, with an upper part that includes a belt, thongs, etc. Sandals with various functions have also been developed, such as those with protrusions on the sole that stimulate pressure points on the sole of the foot while walking.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses footwear with a footrest, a toe strap, and a thong, in which the footrest is formed by adhering a first layer with a thin portion to a second layer without a thin portion, and the thin portion of this first layer is missing on the little toe side of the toe strap and on the toe side of the heel. This structure allows the user's center of gravity to be shifted inward when walking in this footwear, and if the user has bow legs, it can narrow the distance between the user's knees. Patent Document 1 also discloses footwear in which the heel portion of the footrest is missing in an arc or linear shape, allowing the user to walk on tiptoe.

[0004] Patent Document 2 also discloses footwear having a sole portion on which the user's foot rests, an upper portion that encases the instep, and an inner sole portion, in which the sole is divided into a toe portion and a heel portion near the arch, and when the toe portion is further divided into a big toe side (inner side) and a little toe side (outer side), the half of the little toe (outer side) is configured to generally face a thin portion. Patent Document 2 also describes an example in which the heel portion of the sole is missing. The missing portion in the footwear described in Patent Document 2 allows the user to walk on tiptoe, and walking while wearing the footwear makes it possible to naturally train the muscles in the calves and from the back of the thighs to the buttocks. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 7166035 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 7454299 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] Landing on the heel of the foot (heel striking) when walking in footwear is said to have several advantages. First, by landing on the heel and then absorbing the impact of the ground with the entire foot, it is possible to reduce the impact on the feet, knees, and hips. In addition, heel striking makes it easier to stabilize the body's center of gravity, making it easier to maintain balance while walking and reducing the risk of falling. Furthermore, heel striking distributes the burden on the muscles and joints throughout the foot, making it relatively less tiring to walk for long periods of time. Furthermore, by landing on the heel and then using the entire sole of the foot to push against the ground, energy loss is reduced and walking efficiency is improved.

[0007] Here, people with bow legs (genu valgus) have knees that splay outward, which means their feet tend to tilt outward when walking. This puts excessive pressure on the outside of the heel and the outside of the foot, making landing on the heel unstable and often resulting in landing biased toward the toes or the inside of the foot. This type of landing places the center of gravity forward, and since it uses the muscles in the front thigh, it is easy for the thighs to become overweight. It also makes it difficult to maintain balance when walking, making walking unstable. It also puts stress on the ankle joint, and if left untreated, it can lead to osteoarthritis of the knee.

[0008] On the other hand, people with bow legs (genu varum) have knees that lean inward, which can cause their feet to tilt inward when walking, which can lead to pressure concentrating on the inside of the foot and toes, putting excessive strain on the inside of the heel and foot, and causing the heel to strike unevenly.In addition, weight tends to shift to one side, making it difficult to maintain balance, making walking unstable and increasing the risk of falling.

[0009] The inventions disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 have a simple structure that allows the user to walk on tiptoes, yet still has the function of correcting bow legs. However, the drawback of bow-legged people being unstable when landing on their heels is not fully addressed. Furthermore, Patent Documents 1 and 2 make no mention of users with bow legs.

[0010] To provide footwear with a simple structure that allows a user with bow legs or knock-knees to land on their heels naturally when walking and smoothly shift the center of gravity of the body from the heel to the toe with an outwardly wound center of gravity, thereby facilitating balance and regulating the posture of the human body. Furthermore, the shoes have a structure that allows the knees to face forward when standing and walking, and the pelvis to close simply by standing, and the object is to provide footwear that supports correct posture simply by standing with the shoes on. Furthermore, the unevenness of the insole of the footwear changes the landing place and landing order of the sole of the foot when walking, making it possible to walk using the original correct muscles and skeleton, and the object is to provide footwear that supports correct standing and walking so that the human muscles and skeleton return to the correct position for the health of the body. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] According to one aspect of the present invention, the footwear comprises a foot rest on which the foot is placed and a cover portion that is placed over the instep of the foot, The foot rest is shaped to fit the outer periphery of the foot and has a toe portion and a heel portion on which the heel of the foot is placed, When the foot rest is further divided into an inner portion including the big toe and an outer portion including the little toe, the inner portion has a flat thick region, and the other portion of the foot rest is a flat thin region, The thickened region extends in the longitudinal direction of the foot rest from the toe portion through a portion facing the big toe and its base to a portion facing the medial longitudinal arch of the foot, The thin-walled region extends continuously in the longitudinal direction of the foot platform from the portion facing the middle toe, ring toe, little toe and their bases, through the portion facing the lateral longitudinal arch of the foot, to the heel.

[0012] According to the present invention, when a user walks wearing the footwear, the foot first lands on the heel of the thin-walled region of the foot platform, and the user's weight is then transferred sequentially from the heel to the portion facing the lateral longitudinal arch of the foot, and then from the lateral portion of the toe box to the medial portion of the thick-walled region where the thong is located. This allows the user's center of gravity to be smoothly transferred from the heel to the medial side of the foot with an outward-curving center of gravity. Furthermore, the portion facing the medial longitudinal arch (arch) of the foot is a thick-walled region, preventing the user's center of gravity from shifting to the medial side. Therefore, whether the user has bow legs or knock-knees, the user's weight is smoothly transferred from the heel to the toe box with an outward-curving center of gravity. This allows the user to maintain proper walking posture and ultimately improve overall body posture. When the user stands and walks wearing this footwear, the footwear supports proper walking by restoring the human muscles and skeleton to the proper positions for physical health. By continuously wearing this footwear, people with bow legs or knock-knees can improve their posture and walk by unconsciously landing on their heels, which strengthens the abdominal muscles and also has the effect of closing the buttocks and pelvis as the knees point outward. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of footwear according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2A]1 is a plan view of a pair of footwear according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2B] 1 is a diagram showing the relationship between the footwear of the first embodiment and the sole of a user's foot. [Figure 3] 1 is a side view of a footwear according to a first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a rear view of the footwear according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is an image diagram showing the movement of the main contact area (C) where the sole of the user's foot comes into contact with the footwear and the center of gravity position (G) where the user's weight (center of gravity) has a large effect when the user walks wearing the footwear of the first embodiment. [Figure 6] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing desirable walking conditions of a user with bow legs or knock-knees when the user is undergoing walking training while wearing the footwear of the present invention. [Figure 7] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing desirable walking conditions of a user with bow legs or knock-knees when the user is undergoing walking training while wearing the footwear of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the state of the skeleton of a user with bowlegs when walking, as viewed from the front. [Figure 9] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the state of the skeleton as seen from the front when a user with bow legs is standing upright while wearing the footwear of the present invention. [Figure 10] 1 is a diagram showing the state of the skeleton as seen from the side when a user with bow legs is standing upright while wearing the footwear of the present invention. [Figure 11] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the appearance of footwear according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] FIG. 2 is a side view of a footwear according to a second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. [First embodiment] Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of footwear according to a first embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2A is a plan view of a pair of footwear, and Fig. 2B is a diagram showing the relationship between the footwear and a user's foot. Footwear 1 is a so-called beach sandal, and includes a footrest 10 on which the user's foot rests and a thong 20 that functions as a cover for the instep. Fig. 1 shows footwear 1 worn on the user's left foot. The pair of footwear 1, footwear 1R worn on the right foot and footwear 1L worn on the left foot, are symmetrical (see Fig. 2A).

[0015] The footrest 10 is a flat plate-like member made of rubber, EVA urethane, or the like, and is shaped to fit the outer periphery of the foot, and is provided with a heel portion 10a on which the heel 202 of the user's foot 200 is placed, and a toe portion 10b on which the toe 201 of the user's foot 200 is placed. The footrest 10 has a flat thick region 120 on the inside, and the other part of the footrest is a flat thin region 100. The boundary 130 between the thick region 120 and the thin region 100 is a chamfered inclined surface.

[0016] The thong 20 is made of cloth or synthetic resin and is composed of a front thong portion 21 and a side thong portion 22. The front thong portion 21 extends upward from the surface of the footrest 10 and is the portion that is held between the big toe 204 and the index toe 205 of the user's foot 200, and is located at the toe portion 10b of the footrest 10. The side thong portion 22 is made of a string-like or band-like member made of cloth or synthetic resin and is divided into two portions: an inner thong portion 22a that extends from the front thong portion 21 toward the side of the footrest 10 on the big toe side (hereinafter referred to as the inner side) and an outer thong portion 22b that extends toward the side of the footrest 10 on the little toe side (hereinafter referred to as the outer side). Ending portions 22e of the inner thong portion 22a and the outer thong portion 22b are fixed to both sides of the arch area of ​​the footrest 10, respectively. The thickened region 120 extends in a tongue-like manner in the longitudinal direction of the foot rest 10 from the toe portion 10 b of the foot rest 10 to a position 122 corresponding to the inside of the terminal end 22 e of the cross portion 22 .

[0017] 2B is a diagram showing the relationship between footwear 1 and a user's foot 200. If the line segment connecting front section 21 of footwear 1 and the center of heel section 10a on which heel 202 of user's foot 200 rests is taken as center line OO, thickened region 120 of foot platform 10 extends in the longitudinal direction of the foot platform from the medial portion of toe section 10b, i.e., the portion facing big toe 204 and its base, to boundary section 130 facing medial longitudinal arch (arch) 207 of foot 200, slightly beyond center line OO. In other words, thickened region 120 is slightly wider in the width direction of foot platform 10 near the toe side of front section 21 and near a position corresponding to the medial end portion 22e of lateral section 22, and is slightly narrower in the intermediate position. Meanwhile, the thin-walled region 100 extends continuously in the longitudinal direction of the foot platform 10 from the toe portion 10b, i.e., the portion facing the middle toe, ring toe, and little toe 206 and their bases, through the portion facing the lateral longitudinal arch 208 of the foot, to the heel portion 10a. The heel portion 10a is a flat region with no thick regions, and is a large region with an area sufficient to support the heel 202 of a user with poor balance, bow legs or knock-knees.

[0018] Fig. 3 is a side view of footwear 1, and Fig. 4 is a rear view of footwear 1. Thin region 100 of foot platform 10 has a sufficient thickness to absorb the impact force on the foot when the heel strikes the ground. For example, it has a thickness of approximately 25 mm to 35 mm depending on the size of footwear 1. Thick region 120 of foot platform 10 has a thickness H of, for example, 10 mm to 25 mm depending on the size of footwear 1. Therefore, the surface of thick region 120 has a height of, for example, approximately 50 mm from the bottom surface of footwear 1.

[0019] Toe portion 10b of footrest 10 is inclined so as to be higher than the other surfaces of the thick region. That is, the toe portion has inclined surface 10C that is higher than thickness H of thick region 120. Depending on the size of footwear 1, the tip of inclined surface 10C may be higher by, for example, about 10 mm than the plane of thickness H that forms the main part of thick region 120. This is to prevent the toes of the user's foot from slipping forward when wearing sandals 1 without a cover due to the wedge effect of inclined surface 10C of footrest 10.

[0020] Fig. 5 is an image diagram showing the movement of a user's weight on the footwear 1 when the user walks wearing the footwear according to the first embodiment. Specifically, Fig. 5 is an image diagram showing the movement of the main contact area (C) where the sole of the user's foot comes into contact with the footwear 1 and the center of gravity position (G) on which the user's weight (center of gravity) acts significantly, on the footwear 1 when the user walks wearing the footwear. If the sole of the user's foot is divided into two areas near the arch, a toe side and a heel side, and the toe side is further divided into a big toe side (inner side) and a middle finger, ring finger, and little toe side (outer side), the portion of the transverse head of the adductor hallucis muscle (C3), located on the "outer" part of the sole, and a portion of the flexor digitorum minimi muscle (C2) on the side of the arch, are generally opposite the thin-walled region 100. When a user of the footwear of the present invention walks, the user's heel first lands on the heel portion 10a (C1), which is a thin-walled region. At this time, the center of gravity of the user's weight also acts on the heel position (G1), which is the same as (C1). When the user walks wearing the footwear 1 of the present invention, the main contact area between the sole of the user's foot and the footwear 1 moves forward in an outward direction along the thin-walled regions (C2) and (C3) on the lateral side of the sole, and finally lands on the "outside" part of the big toe (C4). In addition, the position of concentration of the user's weight also moves forward in an outward direction, just like the main contact area. In other words, the center of gravity of the user's weight also moves forward from the heel position (G1) of the sole, in an outward direction along the sole of the foot. In this way, by directing the user's center of gravity from the heel position (G1) toward the thin-walled areas (G2) and (G3), a front center of gravity is avoided.

[0021] In addition, a thick region 120 faces the vicinity of the arch 207 of the sole. This thick region 120 contacts the arch of the user's foot, preventing the user's foot from tilting excessively inward, resulting in an inward center of gravity. This makes it possible to guide the center of gravity of the user's foot from the heel (G1) to the big toe (G4) without moving excessively inward. In other words, even if the user has bow legs or knock-knees, the user's walking style can be made closer to a standard form by properly maintaining the distance between the knees.

[0022] By wearing this footwear 1, users with bow legs or knock-knees will have their center of gravity at the heel when standing, aligning their skeleton and achieving correct posture. Simply standing while wearing this footwear 1, such as sandals, closes the user's pelvis. Simply standing while wearing sandals supports correct posture. Furthermore, the surface of the sandals is formed with uneven steps created by thin regions 100 and thick regions 120. These uneven steps change the landing location and landing order of the sole of the foot when walking, allowing the user to walk using the original correct muscles and skeleton of the foot. Therefore, by walking while maintaining correct posture, the muscles used change, resulting in the user's buttocks and pelvis closing. However, users with bow legs or knock-knees will not immediately achieve the desired effect by walking in this footwear 1 without making any changes to their mindset. They will need to undergo walking training to be able to wear this footwear 1 well. In other words, they will need to undergo walking training that focuses on landing on the heel (see Figures 6 and 7).

[0023] According to this embodiment configured as described above, when a user with bow legs wears footwear 1, the center of gravity of the user's feet can be properly turned outward from the heel to the toes, and the distance between the user's knees can be corrected to a more normal distance. Furthermore, when a user with bow legs wears footwear 1, excessive concentration of the user's weight on the medial side of the sole can be prevented, and the distance between the user's knees can be corrected to a more normal distance. When a user stands and walks wearing footwear 1, the sandals of the present invention support correct walking by restoring the human muscles and skeleton to the proper positions for physical health.

[0024] 6 and 7 are diagrams showing desirable walking conditions of a user with bow legs or knock-knees when the user is undergoing walking training wearing sandals, which are footwear of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 6, when walking, a user of footwear 1 must land, for example, with the heel of left foot 200 on heel portion 10a, which is the thin-walled region (Point-1). Next, the outer half of the toe side of left foot 200 comes into contact with thin-walled region 100 of footrest 10, and the user's center of gravity is applied to the thin-walled region of footwear 1 (Point-2). After that, medial longitudinal arch 207 of left foot 200 comes into contact with thick-walled region 120 of footrest 10, and the user's center of gravity is applied to thin-walled region 100 of footwear 1, and further, the center of gravity of the left foot can be shifted to the big toe. In the case of a user with bowed legs, the center of gravity is less likely to be excessively applied to thin-walled region 100.

[0025] As shown in Figure 7, when the left foot is firmly supported by the thin and thick regions of the footrest 10 of the footwear 1 (Point 3), the big toe of the right foot, whose center of gravity is located at the big toe, leaves the ground last (Point 4). This is because the toe portion of the footrest 10 has an inclined surface 10C that is higher than the other surfaces of the thick region. This prevents the toes of the left foot from sliding forward, and the big toe of the right foot leaves the ground last. In this way, even for users with bow legs or knock-knees, the center of gravity of the foot of the user of the footwear 1 can be properly adjusted to an inward position. This ensures that the weight of the user's foot is smoothly transferred from the heel to the lateral longitudinal arch of the foot and to the toes with an outwardly curled center of gravity during walking. In other words, even for users with bow legs or knock-knees, it is easy to maintain balance while walking without the weight being biased to one side.

[0026] 8 is a diagram showing the state of the human skeleton 300 as seen from the front when a user with bow legs walks. When a user with bow legs wears regular footwear, the lateral longitudinal arches of the left and right feet 200R, 200L tend to concentrate pressure on the lateral parts of the feet, causing the femur 302 to twist and resulting in poor posture.

[0027] Figure 9 is a diagram showing the state of the skeleton as seen from the front when a user with bow legs is standing upright while wearing footwear of the present invention. As explained above, when wearing footwear 1 of the present invention, the user's weight is transferred from the heel of the foot through the inside part of the toe, i.e., the big toe, to the thick area where the front part is located. As a result, the user's feet do not become bow-legged, and the correct posture as shown in Figure 9 is maintained. In the case of bow legs, the user's feet are prevented from becoming bow-legged, and the correct posture is maintained.

[0028] Next, FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the state of a skeleton 300 as seen from the side when a user with bow legs is standing upright while wearing the footwear of the present invention. "Good posture" for the human body is said to be when the "ears, shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles" are in a straight line. When a user with bow legs wears the footwear of the present invention and stands upright, their posture is corrected and a straight line is formed from the heel 202 of the foot 200 to the sternum 330. Furthermore, since the user can walk while being conscious of the heel 202 of the foot 200, the abdominal muscles 320 of the human body are strengthened, and since the knees are turned outward, the buttocks 310 and pelvis are closed.

[0029] Next, Fig. 11 is a perspective view showing the appearance of footwear according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 12 is a side view of the footwear according to the second embodiment. This footwear comprises a sole portion (footrest) 10 on which the foot is placed, and an upper portion 23 fixed to the outer periphery of the sole portion and enveloping at least the instep of the foot placed on the sole portion. As with the first embodiment, the sole portion (footrest) 10 has a thin region 100 and a thick region 120. The shapes of the thin region 100 and the thick region 120 are substantially the same as those of the footwear according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The upper portion 23 serves as a substitute for the thong 20 of the first embodiment. Because the upper portion 23 prevents the toes of the foot from sliding forward, the footwear of the second embodiment does not have anything equivalent to the inclined surface 10C of the first embodiment. The shapes of the thin region 100 and the thick region 120 of the footwear of the second embodiment are the same as those of the first embodiment, except for the inclined surfaces, and the actions and effects thereof are also the same as those of the footwear of the first embodiment.

[0030] As explained above, the footwear of the present invention has a simple structure, yet allows users with bow legs or knock-knees to land on their heels naturally when walking and to smoothly shift their body's center of gravity from heel to toe in an outward-curving motion, making it easier to maintain balance and providing the function of adjusting the posture of the human body. Furthermore, the footwear is designed so that the knees face forward when standing and walking, and the pelvis is closed simply by standing, supporting correct posture simply by wearing the footwear. Furthermore, the unevenness of the insole of this footwear changes the place and order in which the sole of the foot lands when walking, allowing the wearer to walk using the correct muscles and skeleton, and supports the wearer in standing and walking in the correct way, returning the human muscles and skeleton to the correct position for the health of the body. Furthermore, the unevenness of the insole makes it easy to kick off with the big toe when walking.

[0031] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the above-described embodiments. For example, although the above-described embodiments have been described using beach sandals as an example, the present invention can also be applied to indoor sandals, etc. Furthermore, although the foot board is made of rubber or EVA urethane material, the material of the foot board is not limited to these. For example, the foot board may be made of wood. [Explanation of symbols]

[0032] 1. Footwear 10 footrests 10a Toe area 10b Heel part 100 Thick area 10d thin area 20 Cover 20a thong 21 Maeobe 22 Side Thread 22a Inner side part 22b Outer horizontal section

Claims

1. Footwear comprising a footrest on which the foot is placed and a cover portion that is placed on the instep of the foot, The foot rest is shaped to fit the outer periphery of the foot and has a toe portion and a heel portion on which the heel of the foot is placed, When the foot rest is further divided into an inner portion including the big toe and an outer portion including the little toe, the inner portion has a flat thick region, and the other portion of the foot rest is a flat thin region, The thickened region extends in the longitudinal direction of the foot rest from the toe portion through a portion facing the big toe and its base to a portion facing the medial longitudinal arch of the foot, The thin-walled region extends continuously in the longitudinal direction of the foot platform from the portion facing the middle toe, ring toe, little toe and their bases, through the portion facing the lateral longitudinal arch of the foot, to the heel.

2. Footwear according to claim 1, The footwear is characterized in that, when a user walks wearing the footwear, the user's weight is shifted with an outward center of gravity from the heel portion of the footrest through a portion facing the lateral longitudinal arch of the foot, and from the toe portion to a portion facing the big toe and its base.

3. Footwear according to claim 1 or 2, The thick region has a thickness of 10 mm to 25 mm relative to the thin region depending on the size of the footwear, and the boundary between the thick region and the thin region is a chamfered inclined surface.

4. Footwear according to claim 1 or 2, The footwear is a sandal including a thong having a horizontal strap part that is placed on the instep of the foot, and the footrest to which the horizontal strap part is attached and on which the foot is placed, The thickened region extends from the tip of the footrest through the portion facing the big toe and its base to the portion facing the medial longitudinal arch of the foot, and has an end portion at the connection portion between the lateral strap portion and the footrest.

5. Footwear according to claim 4, Footwear characterized in that the toe portion of the foot platform is inclined so as to be higher than other surfaces of the thick region.

6. Footwear according to claim 1 or 2, The footwear is characterized in that it comprises a sole portion on which the foot is placed, and an upper portion fixed to the outer periphery of the sole portion and enveloping at least the instep of the foot placed on the sole portion.

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