Orthopedic Walking Boot Heel Flexure for Shock-Absorbing Gait
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing orthopedic walkers fail to adequately absorb shock during the heel strike phase of gait, leading to discomfort and potential injury, and often suffer from heat buildup and poor fit, which can compromise patient comfort and recovery.
Innovation Solution
A circumferential walker design featuring a flexure zone with a cantilever spring mechanism at the heel, a curved sole for fluid gait, thermal channels for ventilation, and a hinged anterior tongue for improved fit and comfort, along with adjustable straps and shock absorption zones to reduce impact and heat.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If rigid materials are used to immobilize the lower leg and bear patient weight, then structural strength and immobilization are improved, but shock absorption during heel strike deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The sole is segmented into a rigid forefoot portion and a flexible heel portion with a flex zone, allowing different regions to have different mechanical properties. The heel portion includes a cantilever spring mechanism that flexes independently to absorb shock while the forefoot remains rigid for structural support.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the walker have different mechanical properties: the heel area features a flexible cantilever spring mechanism with shock-absorbing material, while the forefoot and ankle support areas maintain rigidity. This local differentiation allows simultaneous shock absorption and structural strength.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the walker structure is made rigid to maintain immobilization, then stability is improved, but comfort during gait deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The walker is divided into rigid immobilization structures (shell, ankle support) and a flexible gait portion (heel flex zone with cantilever spring). This segmentation allows the rigid portions to maintain immobilization stability while the flexible heel portion provides comfort during the gait cycle.
3Ease of manufacture
If the sole is made flat and rigid for structural support, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but natural gait promotion deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The sole incorporates a curved rocker bottom design that promotes natural rolling motion from heel to toe during gait. The heel portion includes a cantilever spring mechanism that flexes to initiate heel strike, while the forefoot curves upward to facilitate toe-off, mimicking natural foot mechanics.
4Ease of operation
If shock absorption is enhanced at the heel, then comfort during ambulation is improved, but structural rigidity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The walker structure is segmented so that only the heel portion contains shock-absorbing elements (cantilever spring, flexible material, shock-absorbing material), while the forefoot, ankle support, and calf support maintain full rigidity. This localized flexibility provides comfort without compromising overall structural strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The heel area is given local flexibility through the cantilever spring mechanism and shock-absorbing material, while the rest of the walker maintains uniform rigidity. This local quality change allows shock absorption exactly where needed during heel strike without affecting the structural integrity of the entire device.
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 design reduces peak forces during ambulation, enhances comfort by dissipating heat and improving fit, and promotes a natural gait, thereby facilitating better mobility and recovery.
Implementation Method 1
a flexure zone is created by cutting around the heel on the bottom of the sole to allow for the heel portion to flex during heel strike. The flex zone is connected to the sole along a transverse edge adjacent the midfoot area, such that the cut out area forms a cantilever spring-like mechanism that flexes during heel strike.
Implementation Method 2
Orthopedic walking boots, or 'walkers,' and other short leg walking boots designs have tried to reduce the shock during the heel strike portion of the patient's gait.
Implementation Method 3
The curvature of the sole corresponds to a preferred arc radius for the length of the sole, and this radius has been demonstrated to reduce peak forces during a ambulation.
Implementation Method 4
thermal channels for ventilation
Data Source
AI summary
An orthopedic walker is disclosed that improves comfort and shock absorption during use by incorporating a flexure zone that deflects to ease the forces caused by the heel strike portion of a patient's gait. The flexure zone is created by cutting around the heel on the bottom of the sole to allow for the heel portion to flex. The exterior shell of the walker is may be made of a formable resilient material that when combined with an attached tongue structure reduces a volume of encapsulation of the lower limb. The shell encloses a padding on the inner side that may take the form of air/bladders and/or foam, and tabs on each side selectively engage receiving tabs on the inside lateral and medial side of the base upright portions. A separate tongue structure is used to enclose the foot and is made adjustable using various methods such as slits and novel connectors.