Shoe sole for leg rotation and knee displacement and shoe having same

Abstract

Disclosed in the present invention are a shoe sole for leg rotation and knee displacement of a human body and a shoe having same. The shoe sole for leg rotation and knee displacement according to the present invention comprises: a rear support part having a rear inclination angle, which is an inclination of the upper surface with respect to a coronal plane; an arch part extending from the rear support part; and a front support part extending from the arch part and having a front inclination angle, which is an inclination of the upper surface with respect to the coronal plane, wherein the front inclination angle is in a range of 30% to 70% of the rear inclination angle.

Description

Shoe sole for leg rotation and knee displacement and shoe equipped with the same

[0001] The present invention relates to a shoe sole for leg rotation and knee displacement of the human body and a shoe equipped with the same, and more specifically, to a shoe sole and a shoe equipped with the same that can be applied to the treatment of knee osteoarthritis, flat feet, plantar fasciitis, etc., and to the correction and improvement of human body alignment.

[0002] Generally, a shoe sole is the bottom structure of a shoe located between the foot and the ground. The shoe sole includes an insole (IS) that comes into direct contact with the sole of the foot, an outsole (OS) that comes into contact with the ground, and a midsole (MS) that acts as the frame of the shoe and is positioned between the insole (IS) and the outsole (OS).

[0003] Conventional wedge insoles are in a raised medial (M) or lateral (L) state, with the upper surface of the insole inclined. These conventional wedge insoles may have the inclined upper surface applied only to the heel (see FIG. 4 (a)), or applied to the entire sole, i.e., the entire upper surface of the insole (see FIG. 4 (b)), or manufactured in the form of an insert (see FIG. 4 (c)).

[0004] Lateral wedge insoles, in which the upper surface of the insole forms an upward slope toward the lateral side (L), are typically used for patients with knee osteoarthritis. Medial wedge insoles, in which the upper surface of the insole forms an upward slope toward the medial side (M), are used for patients with flat feet or patients with plantar fasciitis.

[0005] Conventional wedge insoles do not take into account the anatomical characteristics of the subtalar joint (STJ), and the inclination of the upper surface of the insole is applied only to the heel or uniformly to the entire foot. Consequently, the therapeutic effect of wearing shoes equipped with wedge insoles on patients with knee osteoarthritis is insufficient, or it is difficult to continuously wear shoes equipped with wedge insoles due to foot pain or foot discomfort.

[0006] Accordingly, the present invention is proposed to solve the above-mentioned problems, and the objective of the present invention is to provide a shoe sole for leg rotation and knee displacement and a shoe equipped with the same, which can be worn continuously by a patient without foot discomfort unlike shoes equipped with conventional wedge insoles, and prevents the treatment and progression of the disease through biomechanical correction optimized for patients with knee osteoarthritis, flat feet, plantar fasciitis, O-legs (genu varum), or X-legs (genu valgum).

[0007] In addition, the present invention provides a shoe sole capable of appropriately reducing pressure concentrated on the outer (L) or inner (M) side of a patient's foot and achieving optimal leg rotation and knee displacement, and a shoe equipped with the same.

[0008] In addition, the present invention provides a shoe sole and a shoe equipped with the same that can reduce the discrepancy in movement occurring between the medial ray (MR) and lateral ray (LR) of the foot bones, thereby minimizing foot pain while sufficiently achieving the effects of leg rotation and knee displacement.

[0009] To achieve the above-mentioned objective of the present invention, the present invention comprises: a rear support member having a rear inclination angle which is an inclination of the upper surface with respect to a coronal plane; an arch member extending from the rear support member; and a front support member extending from the arch member and having a front inclination angle which is an inclination of the upper surface with respect to a coronal plane.

[0010] The above-mentioned forward inclination angle is in the range of 30% to 70% of the above-mentioned rear inclination angle, and the present invention provides a shoe sole for leg rotation and knee displacement and a shoe equipped with the same.

[0011] It is preferable that the above rear inclination angle be in the range of 5 to 12 degrees.

[0012] The above rear inclination angle is the angle formed by the rear support line and the rear ground contact line, and

[0013] The above rear support line is formed by a line passing through a point corresponding to the center of the heel portion on the upper surface of the rear support portion based on the coronal plane, and the above rear ground contact line is preferably formed by a line formed on the lower surface of the rear support portion on the same coronal plane as the above rear support line.

[0014] The above forward inclination angle is the angle formed by the forward support line and the forward ground contact line, and

[0015] The above-mentioned front support line is formed by a line connecting points corresponding to the center of the inner heel portion and the center of the outer heel portion on the upper surface of the above-mentioned front support portion, and the above-mentioned front ground contact line is preferably formed by a line formed on the lower surface of the above-mentioned front support portion in the same coronal plane as the above-mentioned front support line.

[0016] It is desirable to form an angle of inclination in the direction of eversion or inversion of the foot.

[0017] The above rear inclination angle is the angle formed by the rear support line and the rear ground contact line, and

[0018] The above rear support line is a line connecting the midpoint between the center line and the inner edge and the midpoint between the center line and the outer edge on the upper surface of the shoe sole based on the coronal plane, and the above rear ground contact line is preferably a line formed on the lower surface of the rear support part on the same coronal plane as the above rear support line.

[0019] The above forward inclination angle is the angle formed by the forward support line and the forward ground contact line, and

[0020] The above-mentioned front support line is a line connecting the lowest point of the inner upper surface and the lowest point of the outer upper surface based on the center line of the shoe sole on the upper surface of the shoe sole based on the coronal plane. The above-mentioned front ground contact line is preferably formed by a line formed on the lower surface of the front support part on the same coronal plane as the above-mentioned front support line.

[0021] The above forward inclination angle is the angle formed by the forward support line and the forward ground contact line, and

[0022] The above-mentioned front support line is formed by a line connecting the midpoint between the center line and the inner edge and the midpoint between the center line and the outer edge on the upper surface of the shoe sole based on the coronal plane, and the above-mentioned front ground contact line is preferably formed by a line formed on the lower surface of the front support part on the same coronal plane as the above-mentioned front support line.

[0023] The present invention relates to a shoe sole having a posterior inclination angle, which is an inclination of the upper surface (US) tilted medially (M) or laterally (L) relative to the coronal plane (CP), and an optimal anterior inclination angle corresponding to the median value of the posterior inclination angle, and a shoe equipped with the same. The present invention can appropriately reduce pressure concentrated on the lateral (L) or medial (M) side of the foot while achieving optimal leg rotation and knee displacement effects. Therefore, unlike shoes equipped with conventional wedge insoles, the present invention allows a patient to wear the shoe continuously without pain and can maximize the therapeutic effect on the patient by providing optimized biomechanical support for patients with knee osteoarthritis, flat feet, plantar fasciitis, genu varum (bowlegs), or genu valgum (knock knees).

[0024] The present invention configures a shoe sole with different forward and backward inclination angles, which are the slopes of the upper surface of the shoe sole relative to the coronal plane. This invention can reduce the discrepancy in movement occurring between the medial ray (MR) and lateral ray (LR) of the foot bones. Therefore, when a patient with knee osteoarthritis wears a shoe equipped with the shoe sole of the present invention, they can achieve sufficient effects regarding leg rotation and knee displacement while minimizing foot discomfort.

[0025] FIG. 1 is a drawing showing the reference plane and orientation of the foot and the human body to explain an embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] FIG. 2(a) is a side view of a human foot skeleton viewed from the outside to illustrate an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2(b) is a side view viewed from the inside, and FIG. 2(c) is a view of the sole of the foot viewed from below.

[0027] FIG. 3 is a side view of a shoe sole for explaining a conventional general shoe sole.

[0028] FIG. 4(a) is a drawing illustrating a state in which the inclined upper surface of a conventional wedge insole (IS) is applied only to the heel, FIG. 4(b) is a drawing in which the inclined upper surface of a conventional insole (IS) is applied to the entire area of ​​the insole, and FIG. 4(c) is a drawing illustrating an example in which a conventional insole (IS) is used in the form of an insert.

[0029] FIGS. 5(a) and FIGS. 5(b) are drawings illustrating inversion and eversion during foot movement to explain an embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] FIG. 6 is a drawing illustrating the inclined axis of the subtalar joint (STJ) to explain an embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating coupled movements occurring in the subtalar joint (STJ) to explain an embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] Figures 8(a) and 8(b) are drawings showing the anatomical specificity of the subtalar joint (STJ) to explain an embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] FIGS. 9 to 11 are graphs illustrating the results of foot eversion in a clinical trial to explain an embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing a shoe sole according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] Figure 13 (a) is a cross-sectional view taken by cutting along the A-A' section of Figure 12 toward the coronal plane (CP) of the shoe sole, and Figure 13 (b) is a cross-sectional view taken by cutting along the B-B' section of the coronal plane (CP) of the shoe sole.

[0036] FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of a shoe sole according to a second embodiment of the present invention taken along a coronal plane (CP), where FIG. 14 (a) is a drawing for explaining another example corresponding to FIG. 13 (a), and FIG. 14 (b) is a drawing for explaining another example corresponding to FIG. 13 (b).

[0037] FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing a shoe sole according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] Figure 16 (a) is a cross-sectional view taken along line C-C' of Figure 15, and Figure 16 (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line D-D' of Figure 15.

[0039] Figure 17 (a) is a cross-sectional view taken along E-E' of Figure 15, and Figure 17 (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along F-F' of Figure 15.

[0040] FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view illustrating various configuration methods of a shoe sole according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention are described in detail with reference to the attached drawings so that those skilled in the art can easily implement the present invention. However, the present invention may be embodied in various different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. In the drawings, parts unrelated to the explanation have been omitted to clearly explain the present invention, and the same reference numerals are assigned to identical or similar components throughout the specification.

[0042] Throughout the specification, when a part is described as "comprising" a certain component, this means that, unless specifically stated otherwise, it does not exclude other components but may include additional components. Furthermore, terms such as "…part," "…unit," and "module" as used in the specification refer to a unit that processes at least one function or operation, and this may be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software.

[0043] Throughout the specification, terms such as "first," "second," etc., may be used to describe various components, but said components should not be limited by said terms. For the sole purpose of distinguishing one component from another, for example, without departing from the scope of rights according to the concept of the present invention, a first component may be named a second component, and similarly, a second component may be named a first component.

[0044] FIG. 1 is a drawing showing the reference plane and orientation of the foot and the human body to explain an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2(a) is a side view of the human foot skeleton viewed from the outside (L) to explain an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2(b) is a side view of the human foot skeleton viewed from the inside (M) to explain an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2(c) is a drawing of the sole of the foot viewed from below.

[0045] The terms used in the description of the embodiments of the present invention shall be defined as follows.

[0046] Anterior (A) refers to the front direction of the foot and the human body, and posterior (P) refers to the back direction of the foot and the human body. Medial (M) refers to the direction toward the center of the body, and lateral (L) refers to the direction opposite to the center of the body.

[0047] The sagittal plane (SP) is a vertical plane perpendicular to the ground in the anteroposterior direction of the foot and the human body. The coronal plane (CP) is a plane perpendicular to the ground in the left-right direction of the foot and the human body. The transverse plane (TP) is a plane parallel to the ground surface.

[0048] As illustrated in FIGS. 2(a) and FIGS. 2(b), the human foot is composed of several bones and joints, and the bones of the foot form an arch to efficiently transfer body weight to the ground. The body weight of the human body is loaded onto the ground through the medial longitudinal arch (MLA) and lateral longitudinal arch (LLA), then posteriorly through the calcaneus (C) and anteriorly through the heads of metatarsal bones (MTH).

[0049] The talus (T) is the uppermost bone of the foot, and the calcaneus (C) is the bone located below the talus (T), and it is the bone that loads the body weight transmitted through the talus (T) onto the ground. The subtalar joint (STJ) is the joint between the talus (T) and the calcaneus (C) and plays an important role in standing or gait. The metatarsal heads (MTH) are the anterior part of the metatarsals (MT) and are the part that loads the body weight transmitted through the medial longitudinal arch (MLA) and lateral longitudinal arch (LLA) onto the ground.

[0050] As illustrated in Fig. 2(c), the heel sole (H) refers to the sole surface of the calcaneus (C) on which weight is borne. The medial ball (MB) and lateral ball (LB) refer to the sole surfaces of the metatarsal heads (MTH). The anterior weight load line (ALL) refers to the line connecting the center of the medial ball (MB) (MBC) and the center of the lateral ball (LB) (LBC) in the coronal plane (CP), and the posterior weight load line (PLL) refers to the line passing through the center of the heel sole (H) (HC) in the coronal plane (CP).

[0051] FIG. 3 is a side view of a shoe sole illustrated to explain a conventional general shoe sole.

[0052] The shoe sole is the bottom structure of a shoe located between the foot and the ground, and includes the insole (IS), which comes into direct contact with the sole of the foot; the outsole (OS), which comes into contact with the ground; and the midsole (MS), which is positioned between the insole (IS) and the outsole (OS) and acts as the frame of the shoe. For functional or design purposes, the shoe sole may be layered, and in some cases, the midsole (MS) and outsole (OS) may be formed as a single unit, either partially or entirely. A shoe consists of a shoe sole that covers the underside of the foot and an upper (UP) that covers the upper side of the foot, and the upper is the part that covers the foot.

[0053] In the present invention, the shoe part (or structure) between the ground and the sole of the foot is defined as a shoe sole without distinguishing the components of the shoe sole. Furthermore, in the description of the present invention, a detailed explanation will be provided focusing on the angle formed by the upper surface (US) of the shoe sole that comes into contact with the sole of the foot and the lower surface (LS) of the shoe sole that comes into contact with the ground. In addition, the shoe in the present invention is equipped with the shoe sole described in the present invention and includes an upper (UP) or a structure capable of replacing the upper (UP) on the shoe sole.

[0054] Figure 4 is a drawing illustrating various conventional wedge insoles.

[0055] As illustrated in FIG. 4(a), a conventional wedge insole has an inclination on its upper surface, with the medial (M) or lateral (L) side raised. The inclination on the upper surface of the conventional wedge insole may be applied only to the heel (see FIG. 4(a)), or to the entire sole of the foot, i.e., to the entire upper surface of the insole (IS) (see FIG. 4(b)), or manufactured in the form of an insert (see FIG. 4(c)).

[0056] Lateral wedge insoles, in which the upper surface of the insole forms an upward slope toward the lateral side (L), are typically used for patients with knee osteoarthritis. Medial wedge insoles, in which the upper surface of the insole forms an upward slope toward the medial side (M), are used for patients with flat feet, patients with plantar fasciitis, etc.

[0057] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating inversion (iv) and eversion (ev) among the movements of the foot to explain an embodiment of the present invention. Inversion (iv) of the foot is a twisting movement of the foot inward toward the center of the human body (dashboard arrow in FIG. 5 (a)), and eversion (ev) is a twisting movement of the foot outward (dashboard arrow in FIG. 5 (b)).

[0058] FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the inclined axis of the subtalar joint (STJ) to explain an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 6 (a), when the foot is viewed from the rear, the axis (ax) of the subtalar joint (STJ) is inclined medially (M). Also, as shown in FIG. 6 (b), when the foot is viewed from the side, the axis (ax) of the subtalar joint (STJ) is inclined forward.

[0059] FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating coupled movements occurring in the subtalar joint (STJ) to explain an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 (a) is a diagram illustrating the movement occurring in the upper segment, the leg, when the lower segment, the foot, of the subtalar joint is everted. FIG. 7 (b) is a diagram illustrating the movement occurring in the upper segment when the lower segment, the foot, is inverted.

[0060] A tilted subtalar joint (STJ) causes coupled movements between the upper segment, the leg, and the lower segment, the foot, that make up the subtalar joint (STJ).

[0061] As illustrated on the left side of Fig. 7(a), when wearing shoes in which the upper surface of the sole forms an upward slope toward the outside, the heel (calcaneus, C) everts when body weight is applied during standing or walking. As illustrated on the right side of Fig. 7(a), when the calcaneus (C) everts, the leg, which is the upper segment of the subtalar joint (STJ), internally rotates (virtual curved arrow in Fig. 7(a)), and the knee moves medially (medial displacement, virtual straight arrow in Fig. 7(a)).

[0062] Conversely, as illustrated on the left side of Fig. 7(b), when wearing shoes in which the upper surface of the sole forms an upward slope toward the medial side, the heel (calcaneus, C) inverts when body weight is applied during standing or walking. As illustrated on the right side of Fig. 7(b), when the calcaneus (C) inverts, the leg, which is the upper segment of the subtalar joint (STJ), externally rotates (virtual curved arrow in Fig. 7(b)), and the knee moves laterally (lateral displacement, virtual straight arrow in Fig. 7(b)).

[0063] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the anatomical specificity of the subtalar joint (STJ) to explain an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8(a) is a plan view showing the medial ray (MR) of the foot formed by the talus (T), the upper segment of the subtalar joint (STJ). FIG. 8(b) is a plan view showing the lateral ray (LR) of the foot formed by the calcaneus (C), the lower segment of the subtalar joint (STJ). FIG. 8(b) is a view taken from above (planar) with the talus (T) removed from FIG. 8(a), showing the articulation surface (STA) of the subtalar joint (STJ), that is, the articulation surface formed by the calcaneus (C) and the talus (T).

[0064] Joints in the human body consist of two segments, that is, the points where two bones meet, and movement occurs between these two segments. For example, at the knee joint, flexion and extension occur between the thigh and lower leg; naturally, to facilitate these movements, the thigh and lower leg—the segments on either side of the knee joint—are not connected by any joints other than the knee joint itself.

[0065] Unlike other joints in the human body, the subtalar joint (STJ) has an upper segment and a lower segment connected by another joint. As shown in FIG. 8(b), the calcaneus (C), the lower segment of the subtalar joint (STJ), articulates with other foot bones to form the lateral row of the foot (LR, dotted area in FIG. 8(b)). As shown in FIG. 8(a), the talus (T), the upper segment of the subtalar joint (STJ), unlike other joints in the human body, articulates with the lower segment of the foot bones to form the medial row of the foot (MR, dotted area in FIG. 8(a)), and the medial row (MR) and the lateral row (LR) are connected to each other by other joints. Therefore, unlike other joints in the human body, the subtalar joint (STJ) located between the talus (T) and metatarsals (MT) and the foot joints have many limitations in their range of motion.

[0066] In addition, as shown in Fig. 7, the rotation and displacement of the leg and knee, which are the upper segments of the subtalar joint (STJ), are both affected by the movement of the calcaneus (C) and metatarsal heads (MTH), which are subjected to weight bearing on the ground.

[0067] Conventional wedge insoles do not take into account the anatomical characteristics of the subtalar joint (STJ), and the inclination of the upper surface of the insole is applied either only to the heel or uniformly across the entire foot. Consequently, the therapeutic effect of wearing wedge insoles is insufficient for patients with knee osteoarthritis, or it is impossible to continuously wear shoes equipped with insoles due to foot pain and discomfort.

[0068] In order to biomechanically analyze the problems of conventional wedge insoles and to find the optimal conditions for a shoe sole for leg rotation and knee displacement, a clinical study was conducted using a tilting controller disclosed in Korean Registered Patent No. 10-2345404 and U.S. Registered Patent No. 11903453, which were filed and registered by the applicant (the applicant and inventor are the same). The tilting controller disclosed in the aforementioned patents is equipped with a rear foot plate and a forefoot plate, respectively, covering the sole surfaces of the calcaneus (C) and metatarsal heads (MTH), which are the areas where body weight is borne on the ground, namely the heel portion (H), the medial ball (MB), and the lateral ball (LB). The degree of leg rotation and knee displacement according to the respective inclination angles of the hindfoot plate and forefoot plate in the coronal plane (CP) was measured as effect variables, and at the same time, the pressure applied to the sole of the foot and the degree of foot discomfort were measured together.

[0069]

[0070] FIGS. 9 to 11 are graphs illustrating the results of foot eversion in a clinical trial for an embodiment of the present invention, where the horizontal axis represents the angle of inclination of the rear foot plate and the forefoot plate, and the vertical axis represents the result value according to the respective angle of inclination of the rear foot plate and the forefoot plate. The vertical axis of FIG. 9 illustrates the degree of internal rotation of the lower limb and medial displacement of the knee, which are the main effect variables; the vertical axis of FIG. 10 illustrates pressure changes applied to the foot sole; and the vertical axis of FIG. 11 illustrates the foot discomfort score.

[0071] Figures 9 (a) to (c) illustrate the percentage decrease in the external knee adduction moment (EKAM) due to knee displacement, along with internal rotation of the leg and medial displacement of the knee. The external knee adduction moment (EKAM) is a widely used measure for assessing joint load in patients with knee osteoarthritis and is known as a major factor in the disease. A high value of the external knee adduction moment indicates an increased risk of developing and progressing knee osteoarthritis.

[0072] As shown in FIGS. 9 (a) to (c), as the angle of inclination of the rear foot plate, i.e., the heel portion (H), increases, the degree of internal rotation of the lower limb and medial displacement of the knee increases, and it can be confirmed that the percentage decrease of EKAM resulting from this also increases, and thus the effect increases. When the angle of inclination of the rear foot plate is 4 degrees or less, the degree of internal rotation of the lower limb and medial displacement of the knee is small, showing a relatively small effect.

[0073] At the same hindfoot angle, as the forefoot angle increases, the lower limb internal rotation, knee medial displacement, and the percentage decrease of EKAM all increase.

[0074] FIG. 10 (a) is a diagram showing pressure changes measured at the medial heel (MB) according to the respective inclination angles of the rear foot plate and forefoot plate, FIG. 10 (b) is a diagram showing pressure changes measured at the lateral heel (LB), and FIG. 10 (c) is a graph showing pressure changes measured at the heel (H). Since the value on the vertical axis is the difference between the value measured in the neutral position without tilting the rear foot plate and forefoot plate and the value at each inclination, a negative value indicates an increase in pressure.

[0075] As illustrated in FIG. 10 (a) and (b), when only the rear foot plate, i.e., the heel portion, is tilted, the pressure applied to the medial heel portion (MB) decreases as the tilt angle increases, whereas conversely, when both the rear foot plate and the fore foot plate, i.e., the entire sole, are tilted, the pressure applied to the lateral heel portion (LB) increases. At the same tilt angle of the rear foot plate, the pressure applied to the lateral heel portion (LB) increases as the tilt angle of the fore foot plate increases. On the other hand, as illustrated in FIG. 10 (c), the pressure measured at the heel portion (H) does not show any significant changes depending on the respective tilt angles of the rear foot plate and the fore foot plate.

[0076] As illustrated in Fig. 11, as the angle of inclination of the rear foot plate, i.e., the heel portion (H), increases, foot discomfort increases, and as the angle of inclination of the forefoot plate increases at the same angle of inclination of the rear foot plate, foot discomfort also increases.

[0077] In the foot inversion test as well, the test results regarding external rotation of the lower limb, lateral displacement of the knee, changes in pressure applied to the sole of the foot, and foot discomfort show the same results as the foot eversion test.

[0078] The detailed course and results of the clinical trial, as well as specific data and interpretation, can be found in the clinical research literature published in an international journal by the applicant of the present application (the applicant and the inventor are the same person) (Effect of Hind- and Fore-Foot Eversion on Positional and Rotational Displacement of the Knee in Standing Posture; MDPI healthcare 2023, 11(22), 2931; https: / doi.org / 10.3390 / healthcare11222931).

[0079] These clinical study results can biomechanically explain the problems of conventional wedge insoles.

[0080] First, conventional wedge insoles often use a relatively small wedge angle of 4 to 6 degrees, but they lack biomechanical effects on leg rotation and knee displacement.

[0081] Second, even if the inclination of the insole surface is applied only to the heel, the effect is not sufficient.

[0082] Third, when the inclination of the insole surface is applied uniformly across the entire foot, the effect is maximized, but the pressure applied to one side of the inclined foot increases, and foot pain also increases. In particular, as explained through Fig. 8, when a wedge angle of the same angle is applied across the entire foot, the discrepancy in movement between the medial row (MR) and the lateral row (LR) of the foot is exacerbated. In other words, pain may occur due to separation or collision between the lateral row (LR) and the medial row (MR) of the foot.

[0083]

[0084] Hereinafter, a shoe sole according to an embodiment of the present invention for solving the problems of conventional wedge insoles will be described with reference to FIGS. 12 to 18. Since the same principle applies regardless of the direction of the upward slope of the upper surface of the shoe sole (inner side (M) or outer side (L)) in the embodiment of the present invention, the embodiment of the present invention will be described only in the case where the upper surface of the shoe sole forms an upward slope toward the outer side (L).

[0085] FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing a shoe sole according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the shoe sole according to the first embodiment of the present invention cut along a coronal plane (CP). More specifically, FIG. 13 (a) is a cross-sectional view (a cross-sectional view taken by cutting the AA' portion of FIG. 12) of the anterior supporting part (AS) of the shoe sole corresponding to the anterior weight-bearing line (ALL) of the human body along the coronal plane (CP). FIG. 13 (b) is a cross-sectional view (a cross-sectional view taken by cutting the B-B' portion of FIG. 12) of the posterior supporting part (PS) of the shoe sole corresponding to the posterior weight-bearing line (PLL) of the human body along the coronal plane (CP).

[0086] The shoe sole according to the first embodiment of the present invention is a case where the upper surface (US) of the shoe sole is provided to be relatively close to a flat surface.

[0087] A shoe sole according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes an anterior supporting part (AS), a posterior supporting part (PS), and an arch part (AP).

[0088] The posterior support (PS) corresponds to the heel (H). The anterior support (AS) is the portion extending to the front end of the foot, including the portions corresponding to the medial heel (MB) and lateral heel (LB). The arch (AP) is the portion connecting the anterior support (AS) and the posterior support (PS), corresponding to the sole of the foot beneath the longitudinal arches.

[0089] In the posterior support section (PS), the posterior supporting line (PSL) on the upper surface (US) of the sole corresponds to the posterior weight-bearing line (PLL) passing through the center of the heel section (H) (HC, see Fig. 2(c)) in the coronal plane (CP). The posterior ground contact line (PGL) on the lower surface (LS) of the sole is the line that contacts the ground in the same coronal plane (CP). The posterior inclination angle (PA) is the angle formed by the posterior supporting line (PSL) and the posterior ground contact line (PGL) (see Fig. 13(b)).

[0090] The rear ground contact line (PGL) is a line formed on the lower surface (LS) of the rear support portion (PS) in the same coronal plane (CP) as the rear support line (PSL). In other words, the rear ground contact line (PGL) can be expressed as a horizontal line where the rear support line (PSL) is projected onto the lower surface (LS) of the shoe sole or onto the ground.

[0091]

[0092] The anterior supporting line (ASL) on the upper surface (US) of the shoe sole in the anterior support portion (AS) is a line corresponding to the anterior weight-bearing line (ALL) passing through the center of the medial heel portion (MBC, see Fig. 2(c)) and the center of the lateral heel portion (LBC, see Fig. 2(c)) in the coronal plane (CP). The anterior ground contact line (AGL) on the lower surface (LS) of the shoe sole is the line that contacts the ground in the same coronal plane (CP). The anterior inclination angle (AA) is the angle formed by the anterior supporting line (ASL) and the anterior ground contact line (AGL) (see Fig. 13(a)).

[0093] The forward ground contact line (AGL) is a line formed on the lower surface (LS) of the forward support portion (AS) in the same coronal plane (CP) as the forward support line (ASL). In other words, the forward ground contact line (AGL) can be expressed as a horizontal line where the forward support line (ASL) is projected onto the lower surface (LS) of the shoe sole or onto the ground.

[0094] Meanwhile, on the upper surface (US) of the rear support portion (PS), point (HC1) indicates the part corresponding to the center (HC) of the heel portion (H). Also, on the upper surface (US) of the front support portion (AS), point (MBC1) corresponds to the center (MBC) of the inner heel portion (MB), and another point (LBC1) indicates the part corresponding to the center (LBC) of the outer heel portion (LB).

[0095] As shown in FIG. 13(b), the rear support line (PSL) according to the first embodiment forms an upward slope toward the outer side (L) or the inner side (M) (Fig. 13 shows an upward slope toward the outer side (L)), and the rear slope angle (PA) is provided in the range of 5 to 12 degrees, preferably 6 to 10 degrees.

[0096] When the posterior inclination angle (PA) is less than 5 degrees, the degree of leg rotation and knee displacement is small, so the treatment of knee osteoarthritis, flat feet, and plantar fasciitis, as well as the correction of body alignment, are relatively small. When the posterior inclination angle (PA) exceeds 12 degrees, the discrepancy in movement between the medial row (MR) and the lateral row (LR) of the foot intensifies, leading to severe foot pain and discomfort, and the pressure applied to one side of the foot increases, making continuous wearing of the shoe to which the embodiment of the present invention is applied impossible. Furthermore, the range of the posterior inclination angle (PA) that can maximize the above biomechanical effects is 6 to 10 degrees.

[0097]

[0098] As illustrated in FIG. 13(a), the front support line (ASL) according to the first embodiment forms an upward slope in the same direction as the rear support line (PSL). The front support line (ASL) may form an upward slope in the inner (M) or outer (L) direction in the same direction as the rear support line (PSL), and an example of the front support line (ASL) of the first embodiment of the present invention being upwardly sloped in the outer (L) direction will be described.

[0099] And the forward inclination angle (AA) is in an angle range of 30% to 70% of the rear inclination angle (PA) (or an angle range of ±20% based on 50%, which is the median value of the rear inclination angle (PA)), preferably 40% to 60% (or an angle range of ±10% based on 50%, which is the median value of the rear inclination angle (PA)).

[0100] Even when the anterior angle of inclination (AA) is 30% or less of the posterior angle of inclination (PA), as described above regarding conventional wedge insoles, the degree of rotation of the lower limb and displacement of the knee is small, resulting in a disadvantage in that the treatment of knee osteoarthritis, flat feet, and plantar fasciitis, as well as the correction of body alignment, is reduced.

[0101] When the forward inclination angle (AA) is 70% or more of the backward inclination angle (PA), the above-mentioned biomechanical effects can be maximized, just as when the inclination of the upper surface (US) of the insole is applied equally to the entire foot. However, foot pain and discomfort worsen, and the pressure applied to one side of the foot increases, making continuous wearing of the shoe to which the embodiment of the present invention is applied impossible.

[0102] In addition, if the primary purpose is continuous wear due to foot pain or discomfort, it is desirable to provide a forward inclination angle (AA) in the range of 50% to 30% of the backward inclination angle (PA), and if the focus is on the biomechanical effect of the shoe sole, it is desirable to provide a backward inclination angle (PA) in the range of 50% to 70%.

[0103] The arch portion (AP) according to the first embodiment of the present invention is a part that gradually reduces the difference between the forward inclination angle (AA) of the front support portion (AS) and the rear inclination angle (PA) of the rear support portion (PS).

[0104]

[0105] FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view taken along the coronal plane (CP) of a shoe sole according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and is a drawing intended to explain the differences from the shoe sole according to a first embodiment of the present invention. More specifically, FIG. 14 (a) is a cross-sectional view taken along the coronal plane (CP) of a front support portion (AS) of a shoe sole corresponding to the front weight-bearing line (ALL) of the human body (another example corresponding to FIG. 13 (a)), and FIG. 14 (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along the coronal plane (CP) of a rear support portion (PS) of a shoe sole corresponding to the rear weight-bearing line (PLL) of the human body (another example corresponding to FIG. 13 (b)).

[0106] In the case of a shoe sole according to the first embodiment of the present invention, if the upper surface (US) of the shoe sole is tilted, the foot may slip on the upper surface (US) of the shoe sole when standing or walking, thereby reducing the inherent effect of the shoe sole. Furthermore, while the surfaces of the human sole form a natural curved shape, in the case of the first embodiment of the present invention, where the upper surface (US) of the shoe sole is provided as a flat surface, the contact area is reduced, and slipping becomes even greater.

[0107] Accordingly, as illustrated in FIG. 14, the second embodiment of the present invention has a flat center (CT) on the upper surface (US) of the shoe sole and a curved surface towards the edge, thereby expanding the contact area with the sole surface.

[0108] As illustrated in FIG. 14, in the second embodiment of the present invention, the front support line (ASL) and the rear support line (PSL) of the upper surface (US) of the shoe sole are straight lines seen from the center (CT), excluding the curve of the shoe sole boundary (curve, indicated as the curved portions LC and MC in FIG. 14 (a) and (b)).

[0109] In the shoe sole according to the second embodiment of the present invention, the forward inclination angle (AA) and the rear inclination angle (PA) are preferably formed within the same angle range as in the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0110]

[0111] FIG. 15 is a perspective view illustrating a shoe sole according to a third embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 15, the three-dimensional curved surface of the upper surface (US) of the shoe sole according to the third embodiment of the present invention is represented by projecting virtual grid lines.

[0112] FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view of a shoe sole according to a third embodiment of the present invention, cut along the coronal plane (CP). FIG. 16 (a) is a cross-sectional view of the front support portion (AS) of the shoe sole, corresponding to the front weight-bearing line (ALL) of the human body, cut along the coronal plane (CP) (a cross-sectional view taken by cutting C-C' of FIG. 15). FIG. 16 (b) is a cross-sectional view of the rear support portion (PS) of the shoe sole, corresponding to the rear weight-bearing line (PLL) of the human body, cut along the coronal plane (CP) (a cross-sectional view taken by cutting D-D' of FIG. 15).

[0113] FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view of a shoe sole according to a third embodiment of the present invention, cut along the sagittal plane (SP). More specifically, FIG. 17 (a) is a cross-sectional view of the shoe sole cut along the medial longitudinal arch (MLA) of the foot in the sagittal plane (SP) (a cross-sectional view taken by cutting E-E' of FIG. 15), and FIG. 17 (b) is a cross-sectional view of the shoe sole cut along the lateral longitudinal arch (LLA) of the foot in the sagittal plane (SP) (a cross-sectional view taken by cutting F-F' of FIG. 15).

[0114] The surfaces of the human sole form a three-dimensional curved shape due to the medial longitudinal arch (MLA), lateral longitudinal arch (LLA), and the transverse arch of the metatarsal head (MTH), and the heel (H) has a greater curvature due to the shape of the calcaneus (C).

[0115] Accordingly, the third embodiment of the present invention is a shoe sole designed to maximize the contact area and weight-bearing area with respect to the sole surface, and as illustrated in FIGS. 16 and 17, the upper surface (US) of the shoe sole has a streamlined curve corresponding to the sole surface of the foot in both the coronal plane (CP) and the sagittal plane (SP). More specifically, the upper surface (US) of the front support portion (AS) and the rear support portion (PS) of the shoe sole according to the third embodiment of the present invention has a concave three-dimensional curved surface corresponding to the convex three-dimensional shape of the heel portion (H), the medial heel portion (MB), and the lateral heel portion (LB). The upper surface (US) of the arch portion (AP) of the shoe sole according to the third embodiment of the present invention has a convex three-dimensional curved surface corresponding to the concave shape of the inner longitudinal arch (MLA) and the outer longitudinal arch (LLA).

[0116] According to the third embodiment of the present invention, the upper surface (US) of the arch portion (AP) of the shoe sole forms a convex three-dimensional curved surface, and it is preferable to have a small curvature so that no weight load is applied or is minimized. Accordingly, the upper surface (US) of the shoe sole according to the third embodiment of the present invention can minimize slippage with the sole of the foot caused by the slope of the upper surface (US) of the shoe sole.

[0117]

[0118] As illustrated in FIG. 16(a), the forward support line (ASL) of the upper surface (US) of the shoe sole according to the third embodiment of the present invention is a line connecting the lowest point (Low1) of the medial upper surface (US) and the lowest point (Low2) of the lateral upper surface (US) based on the midline (ML) of the shoe sole in the coronal plane (CP). To explain further, the forward support line (ASL) of the upper surface (US) of the shoe sole according to the third embodiment of the present invention is a line passing through the upper surface point (Low1) of the shoe sole corresponding to the center of the medial heel portion (MB) and the upper surface point (Low2) of the shoe sole corresponding to the center of the lateral heel portion (LB).

[0119] As illustrated in FIG. 16(b), the rear support line (PSL) of the upper surface of the shoe sole according to the third embodiment of the present invention is a line connecting two points (M1, M2) of equal distance from the midline (ML) of the shoe sole in the coronal plane (CP) toward the inner side (L) and the outer side (M). Preferably, the rear support line (PSL) of the upper surface (US) of the shoe sole according to the third embodiment of the present invention is a line passing through the midpoint (M1) between the midline (ML) and the medial edge (ME) and the midpoint (M2) between the midline (ML) and the lateral edge (LE) on the upper surface (US) of the shoe sole. That is, the lengths of d1 and d2 are equal with respect to the midpoint (M1) of the inner side (M), and the lengths of d3 and d4 are equal with respect to the midpoint (M2) of the outer side (L) (see FIG. 16(b)).

[0120] In addition, if the curvature of the upper surface of the shoe sole (US) corresponding to the inner heel portion (MB) and the outer heel portion (LB) in the front support portion (AS) is small and the lowest point is unclear, the front support line (ASL) of the upper surface of the shoe sole (US) according to the third embodiment of the present invention is a line passing through the midpoint between the center line (ML) of the shoe sole and the medial edge (ME) and the midpoint between the center line (M) of the shoe sole and the lateral edge (LE) of the shoe sole on the upper surface (US) of the shoe sole.

[0121] Similar to the rear support line (ASL) of the third embodiment of the present invention, if the curvature of the upper surface (US) of the shoe sole corresponding to the medial heel portion (MB) and the lateral heel portion (LB) in the front support portion (AS) is small and the lowest point is unclear, the slope of the front support line (ASL) can be defined in the same manner as the method for determining the rear support line (PSL) of the third embodiment of the present invention. That is, the front support line (ASL) of the upper surface (US) of the shoe sole in the third embodiment of the present invention can be a line passing through the midpoint (M1) between the center line (ML) of the shoe sole and the medial edge (ME) and the midpoint (M2) between the center line (ML) of the shoe sole and the lateral edge (LE) on the upper surface (US) of the shoe sole (identical to the description of the rear support line (PSL) in FIG. 16 (b).

[0122] In the shoe sole according to the third embodiment of the present invention, it is preferable that the forward inclination angle (AA) and the rear inclination angle (PA) are also formed within the same angle range as in the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0123]

[0124] FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view illustrating various configuration methods of a shoe sole according to a third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 18 (a) and (b) are cross-sectional views of the shoe sole cut along the coronal plane (CP), the left drawing of FIG. 18 (C) is a plan view of the shoe sole, and the right drawing of FIG. 18 (C) is a view of the arch portion of FIG. 18 (C) cut along the coronal plane (CP).

[0125] As illustrated in FIG. 18 (a), the forward inclination angle (AA) and the rear inclination angle (PA) in the shoe sole according to the third embodiment of the present invention can be implemented in the insole (IS) (shown on the left in FIG. 18 (a)), in the midsole (MS) (shown on the right in FIG. 18 (a)), and the inclination angle can be implemented by dividing it among several layers constituting the shoe sole.

[0126] In addition, as shown in FIG. 18(b), the shoe sole according to the third embodiment of the present invention can be manufactured with the midsole (MS) and outsole (OS) as a single unit (shown on the left in FIG. 18(b)), the entire shoe sole can be manufactured as a single unit (shown on the right in FIG. 18(b)), or it can be manufactured by dividing it into various layers.

[0127] In addition, in the third embodiment of the present invention, the arch portion of the shoe sole may be provided with a softer material to reduce pressure applied to the longitudinal arch of the foot. The left side of FIG. 18 (c) is a plan view illustrating a shoe sole for reducing pressure applied to the medial longitudinal arch (MLA) of the foot, and the right side of FIG. 18 (c) is a cross-sectional view of the arch portion of the shoe sole cut from the cross section (CP). As shown in FIG. 18 (c), when a structure (S) made of a soft material is inserted into the arch portion of the shoe corresponding to the medial longitudinal arch (MLA) of the foot, the pressure applied to the medial longitudinal arch (MLA) of the foot is reduced. Therefore, while foot pain is not induced, the contact area between the upper surface of the shoe sole and the sole surface is expanded, thereby minimizing slippage with the sole of the foot caused by the slope of the upper surface (US) of the shoe sole. The embodiment illustrated in Fig. 18 (c) can, of course, be applied to the remaining sole of the foot, excluding the main weight-bearing areas, the heel (H), the medial heel (MB), and the lateral heel (LB).

[0128] The method of constructing the shoe sole illustrated in FIG. 18 is not limited to the third embodiment and can be implemented in a variety of ways depending on functional or design purposes.

[0129] Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited thereto and can be implemented with various modifications within the scope of the claims, the detailed description of the invention, and the attached drawings, and it is obvious that such modifications also fall within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A rear support member having a rear inclination angle, which is the slope of the upper surface relative to the coronal plane; An arch portion extending from the above rear support portion; A front support member extending from the above arch portion and having a forward inclination angle which is the slope of the upper surface with respect to the coronal plane; Includes, The above forward inclination angle is A shoe sole for leg rotation and knee displacement in the range of 30% to 70% of the above rearward inclination angle.

2. In Claim 1, The above rear inclination angle is A shoe sole for leg rotation and knee displacement in the range of 5 to 12 degrees.

3. In Claim 1, The above rear inclination angle is It is the angle formed by the rear support line and the rear ground contact line, and The above rear support line is It is formed by a line passing through a point corresponding to the center of the heel portion on the upper surface of the rear support portion based on the coronal plane, The above rear ground contact line is A line formed on the lower surface of the rear support member in the same coronal plane as the rear support line. A shoe sole for leg rotation and knee displacement made of 4. In Claim 1, The above forward inclination angle is It is the angle formed by the forward support line and the forward ground contact line, and The above front support line is It is formed by a line connecting points corresponding to the center of the inner heel portion and the center of the outer heel portion on the upper surface of the above-mentioned front support portion, The above-mentioned front ground contact line is A line formed on the lower surface of the front support member in the same coronal plane as the front support line. A shoe sole for leg rotation and knee displacement made of 5. In Claim 1, The above rear inclination angle is It is the angle formed by the rear support line and the rear ground contact line, and The above rear support line is It is a line connecting the midpoint between the center line and the inner edge and the midpoint between the center line and the outer edge on the upper surface of the shoe sole based on the coronal plane, and The above rear ground contact line is A line formed on the lower surface of the rear support member in the same coronal plane as the rear support line. A shoe sole for leg rotation and knee displacement made of 6. In Claim 1, The above forward inclination angle is It is the angle formed by the forward support line and the forward ground contact line, and The above front support line is It is a line connecting the lowest point of the inner upper surface and the lowest point of the outer upper surface, based on the center line of the shoe sole, from the upper surface of the shoe sole with respect to the coronal plane. The above-mentioned front ground contact line is A line formed on the lower surface of the front support member in the same coronal plane as the front support line. A shoe sole for leg rotation and knee displacement made of 7. In Claim 1, The above forward inclination angle is It is the angle formed by the forward support line and the forward ground contact line, and The above front support line is Based on the coronal plane, it is formed by a line connecting the midpoint between the center line and the inner edge and the midpoint between the center line and the outer edge on the upper surface of the shoe sole, and The above-mentioned front ground contact line is A line formed on the lower surface of the front support member in the same coronal plane as the front support line. A shoe sole for leg rotation and knee displacement made of 8. A shoe having a sole for leg rotation and knee displacement as described in any one of claims 1 to 7.

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