Deformable Shoe Sole Structure for Knee Osteoarthritis Load Diffusion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing shoe sole designs for knee osteoarthritis treatment cause constant plantar surface inclination, leading to adverse habits and increased pain, as they provide support during both movement and rest.
Innovation Solution
A shoe sole structure featuring a deformable midsole with a base part and a deformable part that flexes downward during walking, maintaining a flat position at rest, reducing concentrated force on the knee joint.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an inclined surface is provided on the shoe sole for orthotic therapy, then the load on the knee joint is diffused and reduced, but the plantar surface remains constantly inclined causing adverse walking and standing habits
Solution Approach 1:
The shoe sole structure employs a deformable part that dynamically changes its inclination state based on movement conditions. During walking, the deformable part inclines to diffuse knee joint load, while during standing it returns to a flat state to prevent adverse habits. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction between providing therapeutic support and maintaining natural posture habits.
Solution Approach 2:
The inclination angle of the plantar support surface is changed based on movement state. The deformable part transitions between a flat configuration (during standing) and an inclined configuration (during walking), thereby changing the geometric parameter of the sole according to the required function. This parameter change allows the sole to provide knee load diffusion only when needed during movement.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a rigid inclined insole is used for knee osteoarthritis treatment, then knee pain and swelling are reduced during movement, but the patient develops constant plantar inclination habits that worsen overall posture
Solution Approach 1:
The shoe sole structure employs a deformable part that dynamically changes its inclination state based on movement conditions. During walking, the deformable part inclines to diffuse knee joint load, while during standing it returns to a flat state to prevent adverse habits. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction between providing therapeutic support and maintaining natural posture habits.
Solution Approach 2:
The deformable part is designed to counteract the formation of adverse posture habits by returning to a flat state during standing. This preliminary anti-action prevents the development of incorrect walking and standing habits before they can become entrenched, while still providing the necessary therapeutic inclination during actual movement when knee support is needed.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The shoe sole structure alleviates knee osteoarthritis symptoms by reducing pain and swelling during movement while preventing constant plantar surface inclination, thus avoiding adverse walking and standing habits.
Implementation Method 1
a deformable part (7) provided in an upper portion of the midsole (3)... being flexurally deformable while being supported on a fixed end (9) on a base end side... when the planta support surface (7a) on the upper surface of the at least one deformable part (7) receives a load of the body caused by walking, the deformable part (7) is flexurally deformed downward
Data Source
AI summary
A sole structure is configured such that in a state where a ground surface of an outsole is in contact with the ground surface, when a planta support surface of a deformable part receives a load of a human body, the deformable part is flexurally deformed downward while being supported on a fixed end functioning as a supporting point, thereby allowing the planta support surface to be inclined downward such that a free end of the deformable part moves downward.