Footwear

Abstract

A footwear comprises a foot base 10 having: a thin heel part 12a in which the thickness of a portion facing the heel of a user is reduced; a fifth toe-side thin part 12b, 11f in which the thickness of a portion facing the fifth toe of the user is reduced; and a placement part 11b which is formed in a portion excluding the thin heel part 12a and the fifth toe-side thin part 12b, 11f and on which the foot sole of the user is placed. The fifth toe-side thin part 12b, 11f comprises a fifth toe-side flat portion 12b and a downwardly inclined portion 11f. The fifth toe-side flat portion 12b is a portion which, in a state in which the user wears the footwear, faces at least the fourth toe, the fifth toe, the base regions thereof, and a region of the transverse head adductor hallucis muscle, which is located closer to the heel as compared to said base regions, of the foot of the user. The downwardly inclined portion 11f is a portion which, in a state in which the user wears the footwear, faces the fifth toe abductor muscle of the foot sole of the user, and is downwardly inclined from the upper surface of the placement part 11b toward the upper surface of the fifth toe-side flat portion 12b. The upper surface of the fifth toe-side flat portion 12b and the upper surface of the thin heel part 12a are continuous.

Description

footwear

[0001] The present invention relates to footwear that is open from the ankle down, such as sandals or zori.

[0002] Open-type footwear, such as zori and sandals, which are open from the ankle down, generally consists of a flat sole shaped like the sole of the foot, with a belt or thong attached. Conventionally, zori and sandals with health-promoting features have been popular, such as protrusions on the sole that stimulate pressure points on the sole while walking, or a sideways tilt in the sole to correct bow legs or knock knees.

[0003] Therefore, the applicant proposed the technology described in Patent Document 1. Patent Document 1 discloses footwear in which the footrest on which the user's foot rests is missing at least the portions corresponding to the user's middle toe, ring toe, and little toe and their bases, the transverse head of the adductor hallucis muscle located closer to the heel than the bases, and the portion corresponding to the heel. With this footwear, when the user walks while wearing it, the outer portion of the sole of the foot near the toes is lifted off the ground, so the user's weight is concentrated on the medial side of the sole. This allows the user's center of gravity to be shifted inward. If the user has bow legs, this allows the user's knees to be spaced apart, and the user walks as if standing on their toes. Walking while wearing the footwear naturally trains the muscles in the calves and the area from the back of the thighs to the buttocks.

[0004] Patent No. 7166035

[0005] Meanwhile, people who wear high-heeled footwear, such as high heels, tend to have a relatively forward center of gravity, which causes their knees to be positioned forward, which in turn causes their ankles to tilt inward and their knees to turn inward, or in other words, causes their knees to twist inward. If this condition continues for a long period of time, the pelvis may widen, resulting in bowed legs, and the neck may become fixed in a straight position, resulting in a condition known as a straight neck. Thus, wearing high-heeled footwear can cause distortion of the skeleton, which can lead to pain in the legs and neck.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of such problems, and has as its object to provide footwear having a posture correcting function.

[0007] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has the following configuration.

[0008] [1] An aspect of the present invention is a footwear comprising a foot rest (10) on which a foot is placed, the foot rest (10) having a thin heel portion (12a) which is a portion that faces the heel of a user and is thinned, a thin little toe side portion (12b, 11f) which is a portion that faces the little toe side of the user and is thinned, and a placing portion (11b) formed in a portion excluding the thin heel portion (12a) and the thin little toe side portion (12b, 11f) and on which the sole of the user is placed, wherein the thin little toe side portion (12b, 11f) is composed of a flat little toe side portion (12b) and a downwardly sloping portion (11f), The little toe side flat portion (12b) is a portion that faces at least the ring toe, little toe and bases thereof of the user's foot and the transverse head of the adductor hallucis muscle located closer to the heel than the bases thereof when the user is wearing the footwear, and the downward sloping portion (11f) is a portion that faces the abductor hallucis muscle of the user's sole when the user is wearing the footwear, and is characterized in that it slopes downward from the upper surface of the support portion (11b) towards the upper surface of the little toe side flat portion (12b), and the upper surface of the little toe side flat portion (12b) and the upper surface of the heel thin portion (12a) are continuous.

[0009] [2] In the above aspect [1], the footwear is characterized in that it comprises a front strap (21) that is held between the big toe and the index toe, and a side strap (22) that is placed over the instep, and further comprises a thong (20) that is attached to the footrest (10).

[0010] [3] In the above embodiment [2], the cross string portion (22) has an outer cross string portion (22b) that is placed on the little toe side of the instep and an inner cross string portion (22a) that is placed on the big toe side of the instep, and the outer cross string portion (22b) and the inner cross string portion (22a) extend from the front string portion (21) and have their ends attached to the thin heel portion (12a).

[0011] [4] In the above aspect [2], the side string (22) extends from the front string (21) to the big toe side of the instep, but not to the little toe side.

[0012] [5] In the above aspect [4], the end of the horizontal cord (22) is attached to the placing portion (11b).

[0013] According to the above aspect [1], when a user who normally wears high-heeled footwear puts on the footwear, the thin heel portion and the thin little toe-side portion face the abductor hallucis muscle on the sole of the user's foot. Therefore, the lateral side of the user's sole (the side of the little toe) moves away from the surface of the footrest, making the lateral side of the sole (the side of the big toe) more likely to move downward. Furthermore, the downward movement of the lateral side of the user's sole makes it easier for the user's knees to splay outward. As a result, the knees, which are twisted inward by wearing high-heeled footwear, can return to their original position, allowing the foot skeleton to return to its original position. Furthermore, when the user wears the footwear of the present invention, the heel can rest on the thin heel portion while the foot is placed on the footrest. Therefore, the heel side is lower than the toe side, making it easier for the user's center of gravity to shift backward, making it easier for weight to be applied to the heel side. This not only corrects a hunched posture, but also allows the user to move their heel up and down while walking with their foot on the footstool, effectively training the muscles in the user's calves and from the soles of their thighs to their buttocks. Furthermore, when the user's sole on the side of their little toe moves downward while wearing the footwear, it first comes into contact with the downward slope, thereby preventing the outer side of the user's sole from moving downward more than necessary. This allows the knee, which has been twisted inward, to return to its original position, making walking easier.

[0014] According to the above aspect [2], the footwear can be put on by pinching the front strap between the big toe and the index toe and placing the side strap over the instep.

[0015] According to the above aspect [3], since the outer and inner horizontal cords are attached to the thin heel portion, when the user walks wearing the footwear, the large separation between the sole of the user's foot and the thin heel portion is reduced, thereby making it easier to walk wearing the footwear.

[0016] According to the above aspect [4], when a user wears the footwear, the lateral side of the user's sole faces the thin portion on the little toe side and the thin portion on the heel. In this state, the lateral side of the user's sole is prone to moving downward, and since there is no horizontal strap that is placed over the instep on the user's little toe side, the lateral side of the user's sole is prone to coming off the footrest. Therefore, in order to maintain posture, the user tries to grip the footrest with the arch of the user's foot near the arch of the foot. By wearing the footwear, it is possible to encourage this gripping movement, which in turn leads to movements that normalize the user's skeletal structure.

[0017] According to the above aspect [5], the horizontal cord can be securely placed on the back of the shoe on the thumb side.

[0018] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide footwear that has a posture correcting function.

[0019] Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of footwear according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 1 is a plan view of Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a side view of Fig. 1. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of footwear according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 4 is a plan view of Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a side view of Fig. 4.

[0020] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0021] [First Embodiment] Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of footwear 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side view of Fig. 1. Footwear 1 is a so-called beach sandal, and includes a footrest 10 and a thong 20. Note that Figs. 1 to 3 show footwear 1 to be worn on the left foot of a user. Since footwear 1 to be worn on the right foot is bilaterally symmetrical to footwear 1 to be worn on the left foot, detailed description of footwear 1 to be worn on the right foot will be omitted. In the description, the big toe side will be referred to as the inside in the left-right direction of footwear 1, and the little toe side will be referred to as the outside. Furthermore, in the front-to-back direction of footwear 1, the toe side will be referred to as the front, and the heel side will be referred to as the rear.

[0022] The footrest 10 is made of, for example, rubber or EVA urethane material, and has a two-layer structure consisting of a first layer 11 disposed on the upper side and a second layer 12 disposed on the lower side.

[0023] The first layer 11 is a plate-like member having an outline that at least partially resembles the outer periphery of the foot in a plan view. The first layer 11 includes a heel-missing portion 11a, a base portion 11b, a little toe-side missing portion 11c, and a downwardly sloping portion 11f. For ease of explanation, the heel-missing portion 11a and the little toe-side missing portion 11c, which are spaces without any substantial components, are also treated as components of the first layer 11, but the substantial components of the first layer 11 are the base portion 11b and the downwardly sloping portion 11f.

[0024] The heel-missing portion 11a of the first layer 11 is formed by removing a portion that faces the heel of the user.

[0025] The support portion 11b of the first layer 11 is the portion on which the user's sole rests and includes an upwardly inclined portion 11d and a horizontal portion 11e. The upper surface of the upwardly inclined portion 11d is an inclined surface that contacts the user's thumb, index finger, and the bases thereof. The upper surface of the horizontal portion 11e is a horizontal surface that contacts the area from the transverse head of the adductor hallucis muscle to the front edge of the heel. The upwardly inclined portion 11d is formed by gradually increasing the thickness of the plate-like member from the front edge of the horizontal portion 11e toward the toes. As a result, the inclined surface of the upwardly inclined portion 11d slopes upward toward the toes, continuing from the horizontal surface of the horizontal portion 11e. The lower surface of the first layer 11 is flat.

[0026] As an example, the height H from the upper surface of the horizontal portion 11e of the mounting portion 11b to the top of the inclined surface of the upward inclined portion 11d is preferably set in the range of 7 mm or more and 22 mm or less, and more preferably set in the range of 15 mm or more and 20 mm or less.

[0027] The missing portion 11c on the little toe side of the first layer 11 is formed by making a cut along the longitudinal direction from approximately the center of the toe side end of the plate-like member, passing through a part slightly outside the front part 21 of the thong 20, passing through a part slightly closer to the toe than the heel side edge of the mounting part 11b, cutting in a gentle arc up to the vicinity of the side of the little toe side, and then cutting further along the longitudinal direction to the missing heel portion 11a.

[0028] The downwardly sloping portion 11f of the first layer 11 is formed between the heel missing portion 11a, the placing portion 11b, and the little toe side missing portion 11c of the foot platform 10. The downwardly sloping portion 11f slopes downward from the upper surface of the placing portion 11b toward the upper surface of the second layer 12. The foot of the downwardly sloping portion 11f is adjacent to the upper surface of the little toe side portion 12b1, which is part of the little toe side flat portion 12b of the second layer 12.

[0029] The second layer 12 is a flat, plate-like member having a contour that follows the entire circumference of the foot in a plan view. The underside of the second layer 12 is formed with a rough surface with wavy irregularities. This makes the second layer 12 less likely to slip on the ground. The undersides of the placing portion 11b and the downwardly sloping portion 11f of the first layer 11 are joined to a portion of the upper surface of the second layer 12. The upper surfaces of the heel-side flat portion 12a and the little toe-side flat portion 12b of the second layer 12 are exposed, and these correspond to the undersides of the heel-missing portion 11a and the little toe-side missing portion 11c of the first layer 11, respectively.

[0030] Here, a part of the little toe side flat portion 12b that is in the vicinity of the outer side surface of the foot rest 10 is referred to as a little toe side portion 12b1. The upper surface of the little toe side flat portion 12b and the upper surface of the heel side flat portion 12a are continuous and joined at the position of the little toe side portion 12b1.

[0031] When a user places the sole of their foot on the footstool 10, the sole of the user abuts against the support portion 11b, while the sole of the foot is separated from the footstool 10 at the heel-notched portion 11a, the little toe-side notched portion 11c, and the downward slope portion 11f. The abductor hallucis minimi muscle of the user's sole faces the downward slope portion 11f. However, if the user tilts the sole of their foot outward (toward the little toe), the sole of the foot can abut against the downward slope surface of the downward slope portion 11f.

[0032] The first layer 11 preferably has a two-layer structure consisting of an upper region 31 and a lower region 32. The upper region 31 and the lower region 32 are made of the same material and have the same shape in a planar view. The upper region 31 is made of a plate-like material with a uniform thickness, and the sole of the user's foot contacts the upper surface. The upper surface of the upper region 31 is formed into a rough surface with fine irregularities. This makes it less likely for the sole of the user's foot to slip on the upper surface of the upper region 31. In addition, the heel-side edge of the upper region 31, in other words, the edge that borders the heel-side missing portion 11a, is chamfered. In addition, the little toe-side edge of the upper region 31, in other words, the edge that borders the little toe-side missing portion 11c, is also chamfered.

[0033] The lower region 32 is adhesively fixed to the lower surface of the upper region 31. The lower region 32 comprises a lower region horizontal portion 32a and a lower region inclined portion 32b. The lower region horizontal portion 32a is a portion that faces the heel side of the portion of the upper region 31 that abuts the transverse head of the adductor hallucis muscle, with the upper region 31 interposed between them. The lower region inclined portion 32b gradually becomes thicker from the lower region horizontal portion 32a toward the toe, and its upper surface slopes upward from the upper surface of the lower region horizontal portion 32a.

[0034] By adhesively fixing the lower surface of the upper region 31 to the upper surface of the lower region 32, the upper region 31 can be fixed to the upper surface of the second layer 12 in a state where it is deformed so as to fit along the upper surface of the lower region 32. As a result, the upper region 31 is inclined along the lower region horizontal portion 32a and the lower region inclined portion 32b of the lower region 32, and a horizontal portion 11e and an upward inclined portion 11d are formed in the first layer 11.

[0035] The upper region 31 and the lower region 32 are colored in different colors. It is desirable that the colors of the upper region 31 and the lower region 32 be colors that allow them to be clearly distinguished from each other. As an example, the upper region 31 can be black, and the lower region 32 can be white. The inclined surface of the downwardly inclined portion 11f is formed from the upper region 31 to the lower region 32.

[0036] The footrest 10 is fabricated by adhering the underside of the first layer 11, i.e., the underside of the lower region 32, to the upper surface of the second layer 12. As a result, a step is formed between the upper surface of the first layer 11 and the upper surface of the second layer 12 by the heel-side missing portion 11a, the little toe-side missing portion 11c, and the downwardly sloping portion 11f.

[0037] In other words, the heel-side flat portion 12a of the second layer 12 forms a thin heel portion of the footrest 10. That is, the thin heel portion 12a is a portion of the footrest 10 that faces the heel of the user and has a reduced thickness.

[0038] In other words, the little toe side flat portion 12b of the second layer 12 and the downwardly sloping portion 11f of the first layer 11 form a little toe side thin portion of the footrest 10. In other words, the little toe side thin portion is a portion of the footrest 10 that faces the side of the user's little toe and has a reduced thickness.

[0039] The mounting portion 11b is surrounded by multiple peripheral walls. One of the peripheral walls is a first wall 11g that extends between the inner side of the foot platform 10 and the little toe side, closer to the toe than the end of the thong 20. The first wall 11g separates the mounting portion 11b from the heel-missing portion 11a. The first wall 11g preferably extends in a concave curve toward the heel in a plan view. This shape follows the front edge of the user's heel.

[0040] Another of the multiple walls of the mounting portion 11b is a second wall 11h that separates the mounting portion 11b from the little toe-side missing portion 11c. In a plan view, the second wall 11h extends from approximately the center of the toe-side end of the footrest 10 along the longitudinal direction of the footrest 10, passing outside the front cord portion 21, and further passing through a part slightly closer to the toes than the heel-side edge of the mounting portion 11b, extending in an arc to the vicinity of the little toe-side lateral portion.

[0041] The downwardly inclined portion 11f is one of the peripheral walls of the support portion 11b, and extends longitudinally near the little finger side, connecting the first wall 11g and the second wall 11h on the little finger side. The remaining peripheral wall 11i connects the first wall 11g and the second wall 11h on the thumb side. The peripheral wall 11i overlaps the outline of the second layer 12 in a plan view.

[0042] The thong 20 is made of, for example, 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 footstool 10 and is the portion that is held between the user's big toe and index toe, and is located on the upwardly sloping portion 11d of the first layer 11. The side thong portion 22 is composed of a string-like or band-like member and is divided into two portions: an inner thong portion 22a that extends from the upper end of the front thong portion 21 toward the side of the footstool 10 on the big toe side, and an outer thong portion 22b that extends toward the side of the footstool 10 on the little toe side.

[0043] The terminal ends of the medial cross string 22a and the lateral cross string 22b are fixed to the second layer 12. Specifically, the terminal end of the medial cross string 22a is fixed near the step between the upper surface of the first layer 11 and the upper surface of the second layer 12 in the heel-missing portion 11a, on the side of the big toe. The terminal end of the lateral cross string 22b is fixed near the step between the upper surface of the first layer 11 and the upper surface of the second layer 12 in the heel-missing portion 11a, on the side of the little toe. As a result, when the user walks in the footwear 1, the large gap between the sole of the user's foot and the heel-missing portion 11a is reduced, making it easier to walk in the footwear 1.

[0044] Next, a state in which the user wears the footwear 1 will be described.

[0045] A user can put on the footwear 1 by putting the foot through the thong 20 and pinching the front thong 21 between the big toe and the index toe of the user's foot.

[0046] When a user is wearing footwear 1, the user's middle toe, ring toe, little toe, and their bases, the transverse head of the adductor hallucis muscle located closer to the heel than the bases, and the flexor digitorum brevis muscle lateral to the arch of the foot face the little toe-side missing portion 11c. In other words, if the sole of the foot is divided into a toe side and a heel side near the arch, and the toe side is further divided into a big toe side (inner side) and a little toe side (outer side), the outer half of the toe side roughly faces the little toe-side missing portion 11c. The entire user's heel faces the heel-missing portion 11a. Furthermore, because the downwardly sloping portion 11f is formed on the little toe side (outer side) near the boundary between the arch and the heel, the user's abductor digitorum brevis muscle faces the downwardly sloping portion 11f.

[0047] That is, when a user wears footwear 1, the entire side of the sole on the side of the little toe is raised, which makes the side of the sole on the side of the little toe prone to moving downward. As the lateral side of the user's sole moves downward, the user's knees tend to bend outward. As a result, the knees can be restored to their original position from being twisted inward.

[0048] As described above, the footwear 1 of the first embodiment, when worn by a person wearing high-heeled footwear such as high heels, can shift the center of gravity backward and restore the twisting of the inner knee. Furthermore, restoring the twisting of the inner knee can restore the expanded pelvis. The pelvis is connected to the spine through the sacrum, and by shifting the center of gravity backward, the spine can be restored to its original S-shape. When the spine returns to its normal position, the head is aligned with the spinal line, the neck bones return to their original position from a forward tilt, and a straight neck is corrected. As a result, skeletal distortion is restored, reducing pain in the legs and neck.

[0049] Furthermore, when a person has a straight neck, the thin fascia surrounding the skull is pushed up, causing the facial muscles to relax and the entire face to appear loose. The footwear 1 of the first embodiment is expected to have the effect of removing looseness from the face and making it look smaller by returning the neck bones from a straight neck to a normal state.

[0050] Furthermore, when the outer sole of the user's foot moves downward, it first contacts the downward inclined portion 11f, thereby preventing the outer sole of the user's foot from moving downward more than necessary. This makes walking easier. The inclination angle x of the downward inclined portion 11f can be set within the range of 0°<x≦90°. However, if the inclination is too small, the amount of movement of the outer sole of the user's foot will be small, making it difficult to restore the twist in the inner knee. Conversely, if the inclination is too large, the footrest 10 will easily slip relative to the sole of the foot, making walking difficult. For this reason, it is desirable that the inclination of the downward inclined portion 11f be within the range of 30°≦x≦60°.

[0051] Furthermore, if the user walks while being conscious of not allowing the outer part of the sole of the foot, which faces the little toe-side missing portion 11c, to touch the ground, it is possible to correct the center of gravity of the user's leg inward, and if the user has bow legs, it is also possible to narrow the distance between the user's knees.

[0052] Furthermore, when a user puts on the footwear 1, the inner lateral cord portion 22a of the thong 20 passes over the base of the user's big toe and the outer lateral cord portion 22b passes over the instep of the user's foot, making it difficult for the footwear 1 to come off the user's foot.

[0053] Furthermore, because the front part 21 is disposed on the upwardly inclined part 11d, the user's thumb, index finger and their bases come into contact with the inclined surface of the upwardly inclined part 11d, so that only the thumb, index finger and their bases on the sole of the user's foot are positioned higher than the upper surface of the horizontal part 11e.

[0054] In this way, because the big toe, index finger, and their bases are positioned higher than the other parts of the sole of the user's foot, the heel tends to move downward, and the center of gravity tends to move backward, making it difficult for the user to bend forward. Even if the user's spine tilts forward over time and they try to bend forward, the big toe, index finger, and their bases rest on the upwardly inclined portion 11d, making it difficult for the user to bend forward. Even if the user does bend forward, the spine can be returned to a position perpendicular to the ground. In this way, the user's posture can be corrected.

[0055] Furthermore, by making it difficult to bend forward, the time spent in a posture that places gravity on the face, such as a hunched posture, can be shortened. This reduces the accumulation of fluid in the face and the occurrence of swelling, resulting in a slimmer face. Furthermore, by making it difficult to bend forward and correcting a forward-leaning posture to a better posture, it is possible to free the eyeballs from pressing against the fascia, thereby relieving eye fatigue. In addition, correcting a forward-leaning posture to a better posture can have other effects, such as improving walking posture, making it easier to lift your feet, reducing shoulder stiffness, and improving blood flow to the back of the neck.

[0056] Furthermore, according to the first embodiment, the height H from the upper surface of the horizontal portion 11e to the top of the inclined surface of the upwardly inclined portion 11d is set in the range of 7 mm to 22 mm. Here, if the height H is too low, it becomes difficult to move the spine's line backward, while if it is too high, the spine's line may be moved backward more than necessary in normal posture. Therefore, as in the first embodiment, if the height H is in the range of 7 mm to 22 mm, when the user leans forward and the spine's line tilts forward, it is possible to move the spine's line backward and correct it to a straight state with respect to the ground. More preferably, by setting the height H to 15 mm to 20 mm, it is possible to stably correct the spine's line tilting forward when the user leans forward.

[0057] Incidentally, some users have the habit of walking with their center of gravity toward their heels (so-called heel-walkers), while others have the habit of walking with their center of gravity toward their toes (so-called tiptoe-walkers). Users who heel-walk can correct their center of gravity forward by consciously walking so that their heels do not touch the upper surface of the second layer 12. Users who tiptoe can correct their center of gravity backward by walking so that their heels touch the upper surface of the second layer 12. In this way, footwear 1 can correct the walking posture of both heel-walkers and tiptoe-walkers.

[0058] Furthermore, because the step formed by the heel-notched portion 11a is arc-shaped, it stimulates the area around the arch of the foot near the arc-shaped heel when walking. Furthermore, because the portion of the first layer 11 between the heel-notched portion 11a and the little toe-side notched portion 11c is narrow, the user can stimulate the sides of the arch by moving the outer part of the sole up and down. This is expected to have a positive effect on health by stimulating the pressure points on the feet.

[0059] Furthermore, by adhesively fixing the lower surface of upper region 31 to the upper surface of lower region 32 while upper region 31 is deformed so as to conform to lower region inclined portion 32b, upwardly inclined portion 11d is formed in first layer 11. Therefore, by adhesively fixing upper region 31, whose surface (upper surface) has been processed to form anti-slip features such as concaves and convexes, to lower region 32, it is possible to easily create first layer 11 having anti-slip features such as concaves and convexes formed on the surface (upper surface) of upwardly inclined portion 11d.

[0060] Furthermore, since the upper region 31 and the lower region 32 are colored in different colors, when the footwear 1 is viewed from the side, the lower region 32 becomes thicker toward the toe, and the user is given a visual impression that the area on which the big toe is placed is higher.

[0061] [Second Embodiment] Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the appearance of footwear 2 in a second embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 5 is a plan view of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a side view of Fig. 4. Footwear 2 is a so-called beach sandal, and includes a footrest 10 and a thong 25. Note that Figs. 4 to 6 show footwear 2 to be worn on the left foot of a user, and since footwear 2 to be worn on the right foot is bilaterally symmetrical to footwear 2 to be worn on the left foot, detailed description of footwear 2 to be worn on the right foot will be omitted.

[0062] Footwear 2 in the second embodiment has a thong 25 attached to a footrest 10 instead of the thong 20 in footwear 1 in the first embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 3. The footrest 10 is the same as that in the first embodiment.

[0063] Like thong 20, thong 25 is made of, for example, cloth or synthetic resin, and is composed of front thong 26 and side thong 27. Front thong 26 extends upward from the surface of footstool 10 and is the part that is held between the big toe and index toe of the user, and like thong 20, is located on the upwardly sloping portion 11d of first layer 11. Side thong 27 is made of a string-like or band-like member and extends from the upper end of front thong 26 toward the inside side of footstool 10.

[0064] The end of the cross string 27 is fixed to the corner on the big toe side, on the heel-missing portion 11a side, on the first layer 11. In other words, the thong 25 is formed by removing the outer cross string 22b from the thong 20 and locating the end of the inner cross string 22a on the first layer 11.

[0065] According to the footwear 2 of the second embodiment configured as described above, similar to the footwear 1, when a user wears the footwear 2, the side of the user's sole on the little toe side faces the little toe-side missing portion 11c, the downwardly sloping portion 11f, and the heel-missing portion 11a. In this state, the side of the user's sole on the little toe side is prone to moving downward, and since there is no horizontal string that is placed around the instep on the user's little toe side, the side of the user's sole on the little toe side is prone to separating from the first layer 11. Therefore, in an attempt to maintain posture, the user tries to grip the first layer 11 with the arch near the arch of the sole, using the abductor digiti minimi muscles and the like. Wearing the footwear 2 encourages this gripping action, which in turn guides the user's movements to normalize their skeletal structure.

[0066] Furthermore, there is only one cross string 27 that is placed over the top of the foot on the big toe side, but its end is located on the first layer 11 and is relatively short. This allows the cross string 27 to be securely placed over the top of the foot on the big toe side. This reduces the distance that the footrest 10 separates from the sole of the user's foot when walking, making it possible to stabilize walking.

[0067] 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 sandals. 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.

[0068] In the embodiment of the present invention, the footrest 10 is formed in two layers, but it may be formed in one layer (single plate) as long as a thin-walled portion is formed in the portion of the footrest facing the outer half of the toe side of the sole of the user and the portion facing the heel. The first layer 11 and the second layer 12 may each be formed in multiple layers. The first layer 11 is also shown as having a two-layer structure, but it may also be formed in one layer (single plate).

[0069] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, 2 Footwear 10 Footrest 11 First layer 11a Heel missing portion 11b Toe portion 11c Little toe side missing portion 11d Upward inclined portion 11e Horizontal portion 11f Downward inclined portion 12 Second layer 12a Heel side flat portion (thin heel portion) 12b Little toe side flat portion 12b1 Little toe side side portion 20, 25 Toe strap 21, 26 Front strap portion 22, 27 Side strap portion 22a Medial side strap portion 22b Lateral side strap portion 31 Upper region 32 Lower region 32a Lower region horizontal portion 32b Lower region inclined portion

Claims

1. Footwear comprising a foot rest (10) on which the foot is placed, said foot rest (10) having a thin heel portion (12a) which is a thin portion facing the heel of the user, a thin little toe side portion (12b, 11f) which is a thin portion facing the little toe side of the user, and a rest portion (11b) formed in an area excluding said thin heel portion (12a) and said thin little toe side portion (12b, 11f) and on which the sole of the user is placed, said thin little toe side portion (12b, 11f) comprising a little toe side flat portion (12b) and a downwardly sloping portion (11f), said little toe side flat portion (12b) being a portion which faces at least the ring toe, little toe and bases thereof, and the transverse head of the adductor hallucis muscle, which is located closer to the heel than the bases, when the user is wearing the footwear, The downwardly inclined portion (11f) is a portion that faces the abductor hallucis muscle of the sole of the user's foot when the user is wearing the footwear, and is inclined downward from the upper surface of the support portion (11b) toward the upper surface of the little toe side flat portion (12b), and the upper surface of the little toe side flat portion (12b) and the upper surface of the thin heel portion (12a) are continuous.

2. Footwear as described in claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a front strap (21) that is held between the big toe and the index toe, and a side strap (22) that is placed over the instep, and further comprises a thong (20) that is attached to the foot rest (10).

3. Footwear as described in claim 2, wherein the cross strap portion (22) has an outer cross strap portion (22b) that is placed on the little toe side of the instep and an inner cross strap portion (22a) that is placed on the big toe side of the instep, and the outer cross strap portion (22b) and the inner cross strap portion (22a) extend from the front strap portion (21) and have their ends attached to the thin heel portion (12a).

4. Footwear as described in claim 2, characterized in that the side straps (22) extend from the front straps (21) and are placed on the big toe side of the instep, but not on the little toe side.

5. Footwear as set forth in claim 4, characterized in that the end of the cross strap portion (22) is attached to the placement portion (11b).

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