This invention relates to patient care, and in particular to a cushioning boot for the comfort and protection of a bed-ridden patient.
Boot-like structures have been developed for protecting a patient who is bedridden for any number of reasons. The boots provide heel support and comfort, as well as proper positioning of the patient's leg to avoid creating other problems, such as ulcers, for a patient that must remain bedridden for a long period of time. Such structures are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,186,738; 5,226,245; 5,853,380; 5,876,364 and 6,640,810, for example. Such devices, while better than nothing at all, still have not solved the problem of creation of other problems for patients who are bedridden.
Other boot-like devices have been developed for strengthening or protecting a person's foot and leg. Examples of such devices are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,078,128, 5,464,385, 6,126,627, 5,472,414 and 5,050,620. A similar device, when used to help transporting of an invalid patient, is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 5,052,128.
The present invention is directed to an improved cushioning boot, used primarily with patients who are bedridden for an extended period of time. The invention provides comfort and extended wear unavailable in the prior art.