Device for locking and securing a heel bone in a physiological position and correcting a misalignment of a heel bone
Patent Information
- Application Number
- PCT/AT2026/060182
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2026-06-23
- Publication Date
- 2026-09-03
Smart Images
Figure AT2026060182_03092026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
[0001] Device for locking and securing a calcaneus in a physiological position and for correcting a calcaneal malposition.
[0002] The invention relates to a device for correcting a misalignment of a heel bone.
[0003] The heel is key to the foot and thus to its physiological position. Foot health, particularly a well-aligned calcaneal axis, is of paramount importance. Misalignments such as flat feet (pes planus) and / or fallen arches (pes planus), or other heel / foot deformities, can lead to significant stress on the joints. Along the joint chain of ankle, knee, hip, and spine, a foot misalignment can cause additional stress and / or overload in the ankle, knee, hip, and / or spine, thereby contributing to or, in the worst case, exacerbating tendon shortening and / or inflammation, as well as osteoarthritis in these joints.
[0004] In an attempt to eliminate such problems, shoe inserts are routinely used to correct foot misalignments. These inserts can be shaped to raise the longitudinal and / or transverse arch of the foot.
[0005] Current shoe insoles do not provide sufficient mechanical support for the heel. Insoles are generally flexible. Since they are often used for a year or longer, the desired support is only achieved temporarily, if at all. There is no mechanical correction, fixation, or stabilization of the heel bone triggered and reinforced by body weight.
[0006] This is where the invention comes in. The object of the invention is to provide a device of the type mentioned above, which can be combined with and / or integrated into a shoe insole in order to achieve a foot position in a physiologically desired position by locking and, if necessary, correcting it.
[0007] This problem is solved if a device of the type mentioned above comprises a particularly U-shaped bar designed to encompass the heel bone, a beam running transversely to the bar, and at least one support connected to the bar and the beam to connect the bar and the beam together, and a support connected to the beam.
[0008] One of the advantages of a device according to the invention is that the calcaneus (heel bone) can be fixed and secured in a physiologically healthy or desired position. The U-shaped bracket is generally pre-rotated and obliquely encompasses the calcaneus from behind, thus clamping it during movement and / or under load. Within the area of the U-shaped bracket, the calcaneus is sufficiently encompassed to correct the foot position. The bracket is connected to the beam via at least one support, preferably directly. The beam is connected to a support. The support acts as a pivot bearing for the beam. The beam can be pivoted about a pivot axis passing through the support; the lever principle is applied here. The support for the beam can be a flat surface with a pivot axis, but optionally it can also serve as a support point or pivot point for the beam.Since the bar is connected to the stirrup via at least one support, and the stirrup in turn clamps the calcaneus like a clamp, the calcaneus is tilted and secured into a desired physiological position. This is triggered by the person's own body weight, so it can be described as a self-adjusting, optimal foot position. The degree of tilting can be determined by the position of the support between a medial and a lateral endpoint of the bar. Because the support acts as a pivot point for the bar, positioning it between the medial and lateral endpoints of the bar creates a leverage effect.
[0009] The device according to the invention is primarily intended for maintaining a physiologically healthy foot position under high loads, for example during sporting activities, but can also be used to correct a foot position for patients.
[0010] The brace can be positioned proximally, particularly at its proximal end, along the axis of the leg. In other words, it is advantageous for there to be no additional component of the device proximally towards the knee joint. However, it is also possible for additional elements to extend from the brace towards the knee joint, for example, one or more retaining elements extending approximately in the direction of the leg axis towards the knee joint, and especially away from the brace. This can further optimize the effective gripping of the calcaneus.
[0011] The brace is preferably U-shaped. In this particular design, the brace encompasses the calcaneus from lateral, through dorsal, to medial. This design allows the calcaneus to be sufficiently secured to move into a physiologically desired or healthy position. The U-shape of the brace facilitates application to a person's foot. The brace can also be closed. In the latter case, the brace can be opened to allow it to be placed around a patient's foot and then secured by closing the brace. Multiple braces may also be provided.
[0012] The bracket, particularly when designed as a U-shaped bracket, is preferably rigid. Preferably, the U-shaped bracket is formed as a single piece, although a multi-part design is also possible.
[0013] The bar, particularly in the case of a U-shaped design, may be longer on one medial side than on the other. This can prove useful for correcting a malposition.
[0014] The U-shaped brace can be designed in any way on its sides that contact the foot. It is advantageous for the U-shaped brace to be smooth, particularly on the sides that contact the foot. This allows for simple manufacturing of the brace, especially the U-shaped version. Furthermore, the smooth surface on the inside of the brace helps to avoid pressure points on the heel bone during correction of the deformity.
[0015] The stirrup should expediently have a width of more than 1 mm, particularly more than 2 mm, for example, more than 3 mm such as 5 mm or more, to ensure good, full-surface contact with the heel bone and simultaneously distribute the forces transmitted via the stirrup over the largest possible area to protect the foot. The stirrup can be designed to define a single plane. However, the stirrup can also be designed to have one or more bends in order to optimally conform to or support the heel anatomically. For example, the stirrup can be U-shaped, with the top of the stirrup curved proximally outwards from a plane defined by the other parts of the stirrup.
[0016] It is also possible that the brace has a certain degree of flexibility to adapt to the shape of the heel. For this purpose, the brace could, for example, consist of a core made of a movable metal bar, surrounded by a material that provides or optimizes wearing comfort, such as a fabric or a plastic.
[0017] While a single support is generally sufficient to connect the bracket to the beam, multiple supports can provide greater stability during misalignment correction. In particular, two supports can be used. This achieves an optimal balance between device stability and a simple design. Specifically, a medial and a lateral support can be provided.
[0018] In particular, two supports of different lengths may be provided. A medial support may be longer than a lateral support. Viewed from the beam, which lies below the calcaneus in the plane of the foot, this simultaneously results in an inclination of the stirrup or a pre-rotation of it, which leads to a certain desirable pre-tension.
[0019] It can be provided that at least one support, preferably at least two supports, and in particular all supports, are resilient. Especially when two supports are provided, this results in flexibility for the distally arranged beam, which lies in the plane of the foot, in addition to the firm grip on the calcaneus by the U-shaped bar. This allows the device to adapt optimally to different anatomical conditions of the calcaneus, despite the tight grip on the calcaneus by the U-shaped bar. Alternatively, one or more supports can be rigid, either individually or in combination. Preferably, the bar is rigid, and flexibility of the device is achieved by one or more flexible, in particular resilient, supports.
[0020] Two supports can be provided, with the supports running in a plane transverse to the legs of the stirrup, in particular at an angle of approximately 90°. From the perspective of the stirrup, which is particularly U-shaped, the supports run from proximal to distal to the beam. Viewed transversely to the stirrup, in a top view, the two supports lie in a plane. This plane can, in a top view of the U-shaped stirrup, run in a plane at a 90° angle to the legs of the stirrup.
[0021] In particular, a medial support and a lateral support can be provided, with the lateral and medial supports each being located in front of and / or at the level of a rearfoot area, or arranged in front of and / or on it. This arrangement of the supports, in turn, takes into account both optimal adaptation on the one hand and flexibility of the device on the other with regard to correcting a foot deformity.
[0022] A medial arm of the bar can extend proximally over a lateral arm of the bar. In particular, the medial arm can, when viewed as a whole, lie proximally over the lateral arm.
[0023] A plane defined by the bracket, i.e., a plane predetermined by the U-shaped bracket, can slope from medial to lateral. This results in the previously mentioned preload or pre-rotation. The corresponding angle between this plane and a distal plane of the device can be 1° to 60°, preferably 3° to 40°, and particularly 4° to 25°, such as 5° to 20°.
[0024] A U-shaped bracket can be designed such that one lateral leg of the U-shaped bracket essentially terminates at a connection point to the corresponding lateral support. The medial leg of the U-shaped bracket typically extends beyond a corresponding connection point of the medial support. The beam can be pivotally mounted, particularly at the support. The support can, for example, be designed as a transverse beam running perpendicular to the beam, around whose longitudinal axis the beam, and thus ultimately also the connected bracket, pivots.
[0025] A single beam is preferred, but multiple beams, particularly two, are also possible. Using multiple beams allows for a particularly efficient adjustment to specific anatomical conditions. Even with multiple beams, a single support is sufficient, which in this case can be a flat surface. However, multiple supports are also possible, for example, two supports for each pair of beams. The beams and their associated two supports can be arranged in parallel planes, particularly in planes parallel to the stirrup when viewed from above.
[0026] The support can also be designed to be movable, allowing for an adjustable pivot axis or pivot point for the beam, depending on anatomical conditions. In particular, the support can be slidably mounted on the beam. Furthermore, the support can be slidably mounted on the beam and fixed in a predetermined position. This allows for precise adjustment of the pivot point for the beam, and thus ultimately for the U-shaped bracket, so that the device can be adapted exactly to the specific anatomical conditions of a person's foot. For this purpose, the support can be mounted on a spindle drive that can be actuated laterally (either medially or, preferably, laterally) with a tool to position the support according to the individual. This proves particularly advantageous when the device is integrated into a shoe.
[0027] The support is typically located below the beam, i.e., distally. This allows the desired pivoting of the beam to be achieved via the corresponding leverage of the associated U-shaped bracket. The support can be significantly shorter than the beam. Usually, the extent of the support, viewed from medial to lateral or vice versa, is only a fraction of the beam's length, for example, less than 50%, particularly less than 40%, less than 30%, less than 20%, or less than 10%. The support, which, as mentioned, can be a crossbeam running perpendicular to the beam, particularly at an angle of 90° (viewed from posterior to anterior or vice versa), primarily serves as a support for pivoting. The support can be separate from the beam. However, it is also possible for the support to be attached to the beam.The support can, for example, be a ridge molded onto the beam. This results in a simple manufacturing process, as the beam and support can be formed integrally, for example by injection molding, 3D printing, or another forming process.
[0028] If the support is separate from the beam, the beam pivots about a pivot axis of the support, which is, for example, designed as a round crossbeam. The support can also be designed such that a pivot point is created for the crossbeam, although a pivot axis is preferred for stability reasons due to a longer support. To enable pivoting, the support is designed in a proximal area at its head, where the beam rests, to allow the beam to pivot. If the support is integral with the beam, the support is designed at its distal end so that the beam pivots with the support. This can be achieved, for example, if the support has a circular arc-shaped perimeter at its distal end.
[0029] From a functional perspective, the support can also be viewed as a seesaw. This seesaw is positioned distally, and all proximally moving components of the device move via the seesaw, in particular the beam, which provides at least one support, and the U-shaped bracket.
[0030] A leverage effect can be achieved, as described above, by positioning the support relative to the beam. For maintaining a physiologically correct position and / or correcting a majority of malpositions, it is preferred that the support be offset to a lateral side along a length of the beam. This means that the support is located closer to the lateral side of the device than to its medial side.
[0031] It may be provided that the bracket, at least one support, and the beam are formed in one piece. If the system is arranged directly on or integrally molded to the beam, the entire device can be formed in one piece, for example, by injection molding or a 3D process.
[0032] At least one support can be designed in a zigzag shape, particularly if it is intended to have a spring-like effect. If two or more supports are provided, several or all of them can be spring-like. It is also possible, to adapt to anatomical conditions, for at least one support to be spring-like and at least one to be rigid.
[0033] In another aspect, the invention relates to an insole with a device according to the invention. The device can, in particular, be an integral part of an insole. The device provides the insole with such stability in the rearfoot that, unlike conventional insoles, even with continuous use the insole will not give way, thus preventing the desired locking of the heel in a physiological position and the physiological correction of a foot deformity.
[0034] The device can, in principle, be made from any material. However, to achieve a certain degree of stability, it may prove advantageous for the device to be made of a metal, an alloy, or a plastic.
[0035] Reinforced plastics, such as composites with carbon fibers, are particularly suitable. These are lightweight, provide the necessary stability, and can be easily combined with other insole materials, especially in the form of prepregs. The insole itself can be manufactured in the usual way. Specifically, it can be made of a foamed plastic material. The insole can also consist of foam layers of varying composition to support the physiologically desired correction process for foot posture in interaction with the device.
[0036] As described above, the invention relates in a further aspect to a shoe with a corresponding insole. Furthermore, the invention relates to a shoe with a device according to the invention. In particular, a device according to the invention can be integrated directly into the sole of a shoe, i.e., without an insole. A significant advantage of a device according to the invention is that dynamic straightening and locking of the heel can be achieved by leverage and rotation or pivoting, using the body weight of the wearer. This allows for the maintenance of a healthy foot and the correction of foot deformities, optionally supported by leg axis training, strengthening of the intrinsic foot muscles, and stretching exercises.
[0037] Further features, advantages, and effects of the invention will become apparent from the exemplary embodiments described below. The drawings referenced therein show:
[0038] Fig. 1 shows a device according to the invention in a perspective view;
[0039] Fig. 2 shows the device from Fig. 1 in a top view;
[0040] Fig. 3 shows the device from Fig. 1 in a further top view;
[0041] Fig. 4 shows the device from Fig. 1 in a perspective view from the front;
[0042] Fig. 5 shows the device from Fig. 1 in a perspective side view;
[0043] Figs. 6 to 8 are schematic representations of an attachment of a device according to the invention to a patient's foot;
[0044] Figs. 9 and 10 are schematic representations of the mode of operation of a device according to the invention.
[0045] Figures 1 to 5 show a device 1 according to the invention in various views. In Figure 1, the device 1 has a U-shaped bracket 3. The bracket 3 extends from a medial side 5 to a lateral side 4, and vice versa. In its course from the medial side 5 to the lateral side 4, the bracket 3 also spans a dorsal rear surface, so that the U-shaped bracket 3 can encompass a calcaneus 2. In Figures 2 and 3, the U-shaped bracket 3 is designed such that, in plan view, it is longer at the medial side 5 than at the lateral side 4. According to Figure 1, the U-shaped bracket 3 is essentially a flat bracket; the outer surfaces of the U-shaped bracket 3 are flat. In particular, a flat design of the bracket 3 on the inner surface adjacent to the calcaneus 2 is advantageous to avoid pressure points. According to Figure 1, the U-shaped bracket 3 is arranged proximally.Proximally, no further components of the device 1 are present, although this may be useful in individual cases to cover special constellations and to encompass a calcaneus 2 even more strongly.
[0046] As can be seen in Fig. 1, two supports 6, 7 are attached to the U-shaped bracket 3: a medial support 6 and a lateral support 7. The medial support 6 is located on the U-shaped bracket 3 in the region of a medial leg 8 thereof, and the lateral support 7 in the region of a lateral leg 9 of the U-shaped bracket 3. The supports 6, 7 can be zigzag-shaped, as shown in Fig. 1 (or Fig. 4 or Fig. 5). This allows the supports 6, 7 to have a spring effect, depending on their design and thickness. It is advantageous to select a material for the supports 6, 7 and determine their thickness to achieve a predetermined spring effect. The supports 6, 7 are arranged on the u-shaped bracket 3 such that they lie in front of or approximately on a rear foot area 10 when the device 1 is attached to a human foot, especially when several supports 6, 7 are provided.
[0047] The supports 6, 7 define a plane E1 that runs at an angle α of approximately 90° to the legs 6, 7 of the U-shaped bracket 3, as can be seen in Fig. 3. This is advantageous for reasons of symmetry in relation to a patient's foot; however, the supports 6, 7 can also define a plane that forms an angle other than 90° to the legs 8, 9 of the U-shaped bracket 3. More than two supports 6, 7 can also be provided, although a design with two supports 6, 7 as described is advantageous and generally sufficient. The supports 6, 7 can be formed integrally with the U-shaped bracket 3.
[0048] A beam 11 is attached distally to the supports 6, 7, which extend from proximal to distal and run approximately perpendicularly in this direction from the legs 8, 9 of the U-shaped bracket 3. The beam 11 extends medially to laterally between the distal endpoints of the supports. The beam 11 could also extend medially and / or laterally beyond the distal endpoints of the supports 6, 7; however, it is sufficient that the beam 11 runs exactly between the distal endpoints of the supports 6, 7. The beam 11 can have a round, square, or generally polygonal cross-section, or be shaped in some other way, for example, elliptical.
[0049] A support 12 is arranged distally to the straight beam 11, or at a distal lowest point. The support 12 can be integral to the beam 11. Alternatively, the support 12 can be a separate part connected to the beam 11. The support 12 is approximately arc-shaped on its bottom side, i.e., distally. This causes the support 12 to act as a seesaw for the beam 11 to which it is connected. The leverage is adjusted by the position of the support 12, or seesaw. Generally, the support 12 is closer to the lateral side 4 than to the medial side 5 of the device 1.
[0050] Figures 6 to 8 show various illustrations of the attachment of a device 1 according to the invention to a patient's human foot. As can be seen, the U-shaped bracket 3 encompasses a calcaneus 2 from medially to dorsally and laterally. The supports engage anteriorly to a rearfoot region 10 of the heel. Distally, the beam 11 extends transversely to a longitudinal axis of the foot. The beam 11 rests against the support 12 or is integrally formed with it. The support 12 serves as a rocker in the manner mentioned. An angle α between a plane E2, which is defined by the bracket 3, and a plane E3, which represents a distal plane, is approximately 5° to 10°.
[0051] The operating principle is particularly evident from Figures 9 and 10, which schematically depict a foot and device 1. Device 1 is positioned at the heel of the foot, so that, as mentioned, the U-shaped bracket 3 extends from medial to dorsal to lateral around the heel. The supports 6 and 7 are located in front of a rearfoot area 10. When force is applied by the patient's own weight, the support 12 or rocker ensures that the heel, encompassed by the device 1, is tilted by the clamp-like grip of the U-shaped bracket 3, depending on the position of the support 12 or rocker, and remains in this position automatically. To achieve a degree of flexibility, the support 12 or rocker can also be slid along the beam 11 and fixed or locked in predetermined positions. Figure 9 schematically shows a top view of a foot and the positioning of the device 1.The beam 11 of the device 1 runs approximately perpendicular to a longitudinal axis X of the foot. The support 12 is located closer to a lateral side 4 than to a medial side 5. This divides the beam 11 into two lever arms, the effect of which depends on the position of the support 12, as can also be seen in Fig. 10, which shows a foot and the device from a dorsal view. Depending on the desired correction of the foot position, the support can also be located closer to the medial side 5 than to the lateral side 4. Arrows P1 and P2 in Fig. 10 indicate the desired leverage effect, which is achieved by mounting the beam 11 on or with the support 12 and thus creating lever arms. The support 12 can be mounted separately from the other parts of the device 1 in an insole or in the footbed of a shoe.
[0052] Device 1 is typically integrated into an insole. The insole can comprise one or more layers of foam made from a plastic material. Other materials, such as cork, are also possible. Device 1 itself can be made of metal, an alloy, a plastic, and / or carbon fiber reinforced plastic. A carbon fiber reinforced plastic construction is particularly advantageous because it provides high rigidity at a low weight. Furthermore, Device 1 can be easily incorporated during the production process when creating the foam layers of an insole.
[0053] An insole with a device 1 according to the invention can itself be part of a shoe. However, it is also possible for the device 1 to be integrated directly into a shoe without any further insole.
Claims
Patent claims 1. Device (1) for holding a calcaneus (2) in a physiological position, characterized by a particularly U-shaped bracket (3) which is designed to encompass the calcaneus (2), a beam (11) which extends transversely to the bracket (3), and at least one support (6, 7) which is connected to the bracket (3) and the beam (11) in order to connect the bracket (3) and the beam (11) to each other, and a support (12) which is connected to the beam (11).
2. Device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the bracket (3) is arranged proximally.
3. Device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the bracket (3) encompasses the calcaneus (2) from lateral via dorsal to medial.
4. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the bracket (3) is longer on a medial side (5) than on a lateral side (4).
5. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that several supports (6, 7) are provided.
6. Device (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that two supports (6, 7) are provided.
7. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that a medial support (6) and a lateral support (7) are provided.
8. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that two supports (6, 7) of different lengths are provided.
9. Device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that a medial support (6) is longer than a lateral support (7).
10. Device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that at least one support (6, 7), preferably at least two supports (6, 7), in particular all supports (6, 7), are resiliently designed.
11. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that two supports (6, 7) are provided, wherein the supports (6, 7) extend in a plane (E1) transversely to legs of the stirrup (3), in particular transversely at an angle of approximately 90°.
12. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that a medial support (6) and a lateral support (7) are provided, wherein the medial support (6) and the lateral support (7) are each arranged in front of and / or on a rear foot area (10).
13. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that a medial leg (8) of the bracket (3) extends proximally over a lateral leg (9) of the bracket (3).
14. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that a plane (E2) defined by the bracket (3) slopes from medial to lateral.
15. Device (1) according to claim 14, characterized in that an angle (a) between the plane (E2) and a distal plane (E3) of the device (1) is 1° to 60°, preferably 3° to 40°, in particular 4° to 25°, such as 5° to 20°.
16. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that the beam (11) is pivotably mounted on the support (12).
17. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that the support (12) is displaceable.
18. Device (1) according to claim 17, characterized in that the support (12) is slidably mounted on the beam (11).
19. Device (1) according to claim 17 or 18, characterized in that the support (12) is slidably mounted on the beam (11) and can be fixed in a pre-set position.
20. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 19, characterized in that the support (12) is arranged below the beam (11).
21. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 20, characterized in that the support (12) is arranged on the beam (11).
22. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 21, characterized in that the support (12) is arranged offset to a lateral side (4) with respect to a length of the beam (11).
23. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 22, characterized in that the bracket (3), the at least one support and the beam (11) are formed in one piece.
24. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 23, characterized in that the at least one support is zigzag-shaped.
25. Insole with a device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 24.
26. Shoe with an insole according to claim 25.
27. Shoe with a device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 24.