Orthopedic Boot With Raised Platform For Forefoot Pressure Offloading
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current orthopedic devices fail to effectively reduce pressure and friction on the forefoot while maintaining stability, especially for diabetic patients, and lack adaptability as the wound site changes, leading to potential further injury and infection.
Innovation Solution
A shoe and boot design featuring a sole assembly with a raised platform for the hindfoot and midfoot, allowing the forefoot to hang freely, combined with a removable foam insert for customizable cushioning, which reduces pressure and friction on the wound site and enhances stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stress or pressure
If a total contact cast is used to offload pressure from the foot, then pressure reduction is effective, but the patient and physician cannot access the wound site and the device cannot adapt to changing wound conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The orthopedic device is divided into a removable boot portion and a separate insole with foam insert, allowing the boot to remain on the foot for pressure offloading while the insole can be removed to access the wound site, thus resolving the contradiction between maintaining pressure reduction and enabling wound access
Solution Approach 2:
The device incorporates adjustable foam inserts that can be removed, replaced, or adjusted in height and density based on wound healing progress, enabling the device to adapt to changing wound conditions while maintaining continuous pressure offloading through the boot structure
2Stress or pressure
If the forefoot is completely offloaded to heal wounds, then wound healing is improved, but the patient loses stability and mobility
Solution Approach 1:
The raised platform design selectively offloads pressure from the forefoot wound area while maintaining heel contact with the ground for stability, and the adjustable foam insert provides localized cushioning only where needed, preserving overall patient stability during ambulation
Solution Approach 2:
The device implements partial offloading rather than complete forefoot elevation, allowing the heel and midfoot to bear weight for stability while reducing pressure on the forefoot wound, enabling patients to ambulate with improved stability
3Stability of the object's composition
If a rigid structure is used to maintain stability, then stability is improved, but the device cannot adapt to changing wound conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The device separates the stable structural component (boot with raised platform) from the adaptable component (removable insole with foam insert), allowing the boot to provide continuous stability while the insole can be easily modified to adapt to changing wound conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The adjustable foam insert allows the device to transition from a static structure to a dynamic, adaptable system where the cushioning properties can be changed as the wound heals, maintaining stability through the boot while enabling adaptation through the modifiable insole
Data Source
AI summary
A shoe and boot, particularly for post-surgery, diabetic, or post-trauma use. It is intended to be worn by a patient who has a wound located on the forefoot and midfoot regions of the foot. An upper assembly and a lower assembly including a raised platform and a base platform. The raised platform has less longitudinal extent than the base platform. A gap is formed when a foot rests primarily upon the raised platform between the base platform and the bottom of the foot. A removable soft, cushioning insert may be placed into the gap. The inset can vary in height and density in order to provide optimum comfort throughout the various stages of the healing process.