A high heel shoe that contains a sole insert that includes a forward region supporting the forefoot and a reduced thickness or cut out area disposed beneath the first metatarsal head. The reduced thickness or cut out area provides less support to the first metatarsal head than is provided to other areas of the forward region that support the forefoot. The rear region supports the midfoot and the rearfoot including the heel, with the rear region extending from the forefoot to the back of the optional heel. An arch support may also be provided. Also disclosed are the sole insert itself, methods of making the sole insert and methods of making shoes that contain the sole insert.

An apparatus to assist in making an orthotic, insole or other footwear insert that is customized to a plantar surface of an individual's foot is provided. The apparatus includes a portable housing; a heater unit to selectively heat the orthotic or a heel cap of the footwear insert to increase its pliability; at least one alignment device to assist in positioning and orientating the individual's foot prior to conforming the orthotic or the heel cap to the plantar surface of the individual's foot; and a vacuum system to selectively apply a vacuum around the individual's foot to bring the orthotic or the heel cap into conformance with the plantar surface of the individual's foot prior to setting of the orthotic or the heel cap. Related methods of making custom orthotics, insoles and other footwear inserts are also provided.

The ankle foot orthosis solves a problem of a poor adaptation to a user's foot (3) and the related discomfort. It provides for simultaneous correction of several symptoms in the foot and ankle areas. It is completely produced from a uniform material, the thickness and shape of which change depending on user's specific needs. It is designed in such a way that it does not intervene with other functions of a user's foot. It is manufactured by preparing a 3D model of a user's foot when placed in a physiologically correct static position, by modelling the ankle foot orthosis directly to a 3D model of the foot (3), by 3D printing from preferably a photopolymer, and by adequate post-processing. Due to its minimalistic design, the user can wear the orthosis in a shoe of his appropriate foot size.

An impression device has a base having a recess and a conduit for fluidly coupling the recess to a vacuum source configured to temporarily apply a vacuum pressure to the recess. The device has a first plurality of particles positioned in the recess, the first plurality of particles sealed from an external environment and consisting essentially of a plurality of circular glass beads. The device has a flexible membrane coupled to the base adjacent to the first plurality of particles and holding the first plurality of particles in the base. The first plurality of particles has a first coefficient of friction between each other selected to allow the particles to move relative to each other in the absence of the vacuum pressure and to prevent the particles from moving relative to each other in the presence of the vacuum pressure.

A method of forming a castless orthotic for a patient's foot in need thereof. The method comprises preparing an orthotic template for the foot wherein the template extends between a heel end and a toe end. In preparing the template the steps of attaching a three-quarter length or full length upper thermoplastic material to a or three-quarter length lower thermoplastic material, or providing a thermoplastic material having a variable thickness such that said thickness decreases from said heel end to said toe end is provided. Then attaching an outer lower layer to the lower thermoplastic material and attaching an outer upper layer to the upper thermoplastic material, or attaching an outer layer to each face of the variable thickness thermoplastic material and heating the prepared orthotic template for a predetermined period of time at a predetermined temperature to soften the orthotic template. A wrap is then placed on top of the foot foam and the foot of the patient is placed on top of the wrap and foot foam. The patient's foot is lifted and the heated orthotic template is placed on top of the wrap and then placing the patient's foot on top of the heated orthotic template. The wrap is placed about the longitudinal axis of the foot to retain the heated orthotic template intermediate the sole of the foot and the foot foam whereby the sides of the orthotic template are particularly supported by the wrap. The method further includes ensuring the foot is positioned over a cuboid support and a medial longitudinal arch support wherein the cuboid support is disposed on the outside of the bottom of the foot and the cuboid support is moved to push the foot upwardly until a resistance is felt, and where the foot is also positioned over the medial longitudinal arch support which is then pushed and pulled upwardly until the foot is moved into a neutral position or if it is unable to be translated or rotated due to until it reaches its end range of motion. At this time, the heel of the patient's foot is lifted to place their weight substantially on the front of their foot and a coolant is applied to at least the heel end of the orthotic template.

The present invention relates to an apparatus comprising: a seat for a patient; a support platform for the feet of the patient, positioned anteriorly to the seat; an alignment system allowing a patient's leg and its corresponding foot to be aligned in the three space planes in order to determine the tibia correct verticality; a system for properly positioning the foot on the platform including at least turrets able to allow pads to be applied in contact with the talus and/or scaphoid inside the foot and in contact with the calcaneus and/or cuboid outside the foot; a foot measurement system in a neutral position; an automatic real time driving system for properly positioning the leg and foot with numerical indication and direction of the movements to be carried out; a central unit capable for receiving and processing the data detected by the measurement system for footprint digitalization.

Methods and apparatuses for designing custom footwear are disclosed. An apparatus for designing custom footwear may include a data collection system, a data processing system, and a manufacturing system, where the manufacturing system includes an additive manufacturing device. A method for designing custom footwear may comprise receiving user-specific data, generating a user model, identifying issues in the user model, determining corrective features, generating a custom footwear model, and manufacturing the custom footwear.

A method of forming a castless orthotic for a patient's foot in need thereof. The method comprises preparing an orthotic template for the foot wherein the template extends between a heel end and a toe end. In preparing the template the steps of attaching a three-quarter length or full length upper thermoplastic material to a or three-quarter length lower thermoplastic material, or providing a thermoplastic material having a variable thickness such that said thickness decreases from said heel end to said toe end is provided. Then attaching an outer lower layer to the lower thermoplastic material and attaching an outer upper layer to the upper thermoplastic material, or attaching an outer layer to each face of the variable thickness thermoplastic material and heating the prepared orthotic template for a predetermined period of time at a predetermined temperature to soften the orthotic template. A wrap is then placed on top of the foot foam and the foot of the patient is placed on top of the wrap and foot foam. The patient's foot is lifted and the heated orthotic template is placed on top of the wrap and then placing the patient's foot on top of the heated orthotic template. The wrap is placed about the longitudinal axis of the foot to retain the heated orthotic template intermediate the sole of the foot and the foot foam whereby the sides of the orthotic template are particularly supported by the wrap. The method further includes ensuring the foot is positioned over a cuboid support and a medial longitudinal arch support wherein the cuboid support is disposed on the outside of the bottom of the foot and the cuboid support is moved to push the foot upwardly until a resistance is felt, and where the foot is also positioned over the medial longitudinal arch support which is then pushed and pulled upwardly until the foot is moved into a neutral position or if it is unable to be translated or rotated due to until it reaches its end range of motion. At this time, the heel of the patient's foot is lifted to place their weight substantially on the front of their foot and a coolant is applied to at least the heel end of the orthotic template.

An impression device has a base having a recess and a conduit for fluidly coupling the recess to a vacuum source configured to temporarily apply a vacuum pressure to the recess. The device has a first plurality of particles positioned in the recess, the first plurality of particles sealed from an external environment and consisting essentially of a plurality of circular glass beads. The device has a flexible membrane coupled to the base adjacent to the first plurality of particles and holding the first plurality of particles in the base. The first plurality of particles has a first coefficient of friction between each other selected to allow the particles to move relative to each other in the absence of the vacuum pressure and to prevent the particles from moving relative to each other in the presence of the vacuum pressure.

Methods and apparatuses for designing custom footwear are disclosed. An apparatus for designing custom footwear may include a data collection system, a data processing system, and a manufacturing system, where the manufacturing system includes an additive manufacturing device. A method for designing custom footwear may comprise receiving user-specific data, generating a user model, identifying issues in the user model, determining corrective features, generating a custom footwear model, and manufacturing the custom footwear.