Compression foot garment, and therapeutic method for reducing heel pain

摘要

A compression foot garment is integrally knit of a body yarn, and adapted for wear on a foot of a user. The foot garment incorporates first and second high compression zones, and a compression release zone between the high compression zones. The first high compression zone is adapted for applying substantially circumferential compression to the foot below the plantar fascia between the calcaneus and metatarso-phalangeal joints and generally around the midfoot. The second high compression zone is adapted for applying substantially circumferential compression to the foot above the calcaneus and generally around an ankle of the user. The first and second high compression zones may comprise elastic yarns integrated with the body yarn. The compression release zone is adapted for applying reduced compression to the foot in an area between the first and second high compression zones.

主权项

1. A compression foot garment integrally knit of a body yarn and adapted for wear on a foot of a user, and said compression foot garment comprising a leg end and a toe end, the foot comprising a calcaneus, a midfoot, metatarso-phalangeal joints, and a plantar fascia extending below the midfoot between the calcaneus and metatarso-phalangeal joints, said compression foot garment comprising:
a first high compression zone axially spaced apart from the toe end of said garment and adapted for applying at least 20 mmHg of substantially circumferential compression to the foot below the plantar fascia between the calcaneus and metatarso-phalangeal joints and generally around the midfoot, said first high compression zone comprising elastic yarns integrated with said body yarn, and wherein said foot garment comprises reduced compression axially from said first high compression zone to the toe end of said garment; a second high compression zone axially spaced apart from the leg end of said garment and adapted for applying at least 20 mmHg of substantially circumferential compression to the foot above the calcaneus and generally around an ankle of the user, said second high compression zone comprising elastic yarns integrated with said body yarn, and wherein said foot garment comprises reduced compression axially from said second high compression zone to the leg end of said garment; and a compression release zone extending circumferentially around the foot between said first and second high compression zones for separating said first and second high compression zones, and applying reduced compression to the foot in an area between said first and second high compression zones, whereby the compression applied to the foot in said compression release zone is at least 25% less than the compression applied in each of said first and second high compression zones, and said compression release zone having a narrow width of less than 1.0 inch in an upper instep region to closely space said first and second high compression zones relative to the foot and ankle, such that said first and second high compression zones cooperate to lift and stretch the plantar fascia.