Abstract: Methods for the treatment of peripheral neuropathy are provided which include applying a topical composition to a peripheral appendage of a subject in need of such treatment. The topical composition includes a B1 vitamer, a B6 vitamer, and a B9 vitamer in a dermatologically acceptable carrier. The methods are effective in preventing further degeneration and/or restoring epidermal nerve fiber density (ENFD) in patients with peripheral neuropathy, and in preventing or alleviating neuropathic pain.

Abstract: A writing instrument having a shaft, a writing tip, a coating-liquid reservoir and a support that operably cooperate with each other. The writing tip located at one end of the shaft and the support located near an opposite distal end. The support preferably includes a plurality of legs that extend outwardly from the shaft in a use configuration so that when the instrument is in a resting position on a horizontal surface, the legs contact the surface and prop the distal end of the writing instrument upward while the writing tip contacts the surface allowing the writing instrument to be more easily grasped by a user and so as to naturally bias the contents of the liquid reservoir toward the writing tip via gravity, thus allowing the writing instrument to be readily useable.

Abstract: A system and method for measuring the size of a person's foot so that properly sized shoes can be selected. The measuring system has a support surface having a transparent window, and a fixture positioned over the transparent window for receiving a foot to be scanned. The measuring system also includes an imaging device for scanning the foot in the fixture through the window to produce an image of a bottom surface of the foot superimposed on foot measuring indicia. In one embodiment, the fixture is shaped like a shoe. The person can print the image and use the image to select a properly sized pair of shoes.

Abstract: Footwear comprising a sole for supporting a foot and an upper attached to the sole for covering the foot and adjoining ankle. The sole and upper define an interior of the footwear and is sized and shaped for receiving the foot and ankle. The upper has an outer shell that forms an exterior of the footwear and an inner lining that is adjacent the foot and ankle when they are received in the interior of the footwear. A compressible generally U-shaped pad is positioned between the shell and the lining of the upper. The pad has a bottom section and a pair spaced-apart side sections extending up from the bottom section. The pad is sized and positioned in the upper such that when the foot and ankle are received in the footwear, the bottom section of the pad is disposed immediately below a medial malleolus of the foot and the side sections of the pad extend up along opposite sides of the medial malleolus up to at least about the distal neck of the tibia.

Abstract: A funnel-shaped holder for holding an implement. The holder includes a funnel structure having an upper end that flares open upwardly and is relatively wide for receiving an implement, a lower end that opens downwardly and is relatively narrow, and a rear wall with a substantially flat inside surface. A mounting formation on the holder is configured to engage a mounting surface and support at least a portion of the funnel structure away from the mounting surface. The mounting formation has a height which is less than about one-half of an overall height of the funnel structure, such that multiple holders can be readily stacked together in a nested arrangement for compact packaging.

Abstract: Footwear comprising a sole. The sole has a heel section for supporting a heel of the foot. The heel section has medial and lateral regions. At least a portion of the lateral region has a first compressive resilience for attenuating the shock of impact to the wearer during running and walking. Further, the sole has an arch section forward of the heel section for supporting an arch of the foot. The arch section also has medial and lateral regions. At least a portion of the lateral region of the arch section has the first compressive resilience and at least a portion of the medial region of the arch section has a second compressive resilience harder than the first compressive resilience for providing firm support for the foot during running and walking. In addition, the sole has a forefoot section forward of the arch section for supporting a ball of the foot including first, second, third, fourth and fifth metatarsal heads and associated metatarsal necks, proximal phalanges and metatarsal phalangeal joints.

Abstract: Footwear including an insole formed for relieving pressure on a common digital nerve of a foot. The insole has heel, mid and forefoot sections. The forefoot section of the insole is formed with a pad having a neuroma pad section which underlies the third and fourth metatarsal heads of the foot, so that when a bottom of the foot is placed on the insole, the neuroma pad section applies an upward force to the bottom of the foot sufficient to spread the third and fourth metatarsal heads away from one another and thereby relieve pressure on the third common digital nerve to reduce the risk of neuroma. In other embodiments, the pad is formed as a separate pad for placement in footwear. An insole designed for use with thonged footwear is also disclosed.

Abstract: Footwear having a ventilated sole system to cool the foot is provided. The footwear includes a generally horizontal sole having an outer sole and an insole providing a surface adjacent the foot. The footwear also includes an air flow pump positioned between the outer sole and the insole. The air flow pump includes a generally horizontal tubular pump element extending generally transverse of the footwear from a medial side of the sole to a lateral side of the sole. The pump element defines an interior volume and has opposite ends open to ambient air. The pump element also has a plurality of holes therein providing fluid communication between the interior volume and the surface adjacent the foot. The pump element is resiliently compressible in a generally vertical direction upon impact of the footwear during walking or running and expansible upon liftoff causing ambient air to flow through the holes in the pump elements to cool the foot.

Abstract: A system and method for measuring the size of a person's foot so that properly sized shoes can be selected. The measuring system has a support surface having a transparent window, and a fixture positioned over the transparent window for receiving a foot to be scanned. The measuring system also includes an imaging device for scanning the foot in the fixture through the window to produce an image of a bottom surface of the foot superimposed on foot measuring indicia. In one embodiment, the fixture is shaped like a shoe. The person can print the image and use the image to select a properly sized pair of shoes.

Abstract: Footwear including a sole for supporting a foot and an upper attached to the sole for covering the foot. The sole and upper define an interior of the footwear sized and shaped for receiving the foot. The upper has an inner surface adapted for engaging the foot when it is received in the interior of the footwear and an outer surface forming an exterior of the footwear. The upper also includes compressible cushioning permitting the upper to conform to the foot when it is received in the interior of the footwear to improve the fit of the footwear. The compressible cushioning is sized, shaped and positioned in the upper to at least partially surround a protrusion extending from the foot and is at least partially omitted from an area of the upper corresponding to the protrusion. Thus, a recess is formed in the upper for accommodating the protrusion to relieve pressure applied to the foot by the upper at the protrusion.

Abstract: A funnel-shaped holder for holding an implement and it's method of use. The holder includes a funnel structure having an upper end that flares open upwardly and is relatively wide for receiving an implement, a lower end that opens downwardly and is relatively narrow, and a rear wall with a substantially flat vertical inside surface. Opposite converging side walls define, in conjunction with the rear wall, a funnel-shaped recess. A front wall prevents the implement from falling forward out of the recess, and an opening in the front wall allows the implement to be inserted into the funnel-shaped recess and removably held captive in a stored position. A wall-mounted system for holding implements includes a plurality of funnel-shaped holders mountable on a panel support and at least one horizontal track on the panel support to permit the funnel structure to be slidably moved along the track to a selected horizontal position relative to the panel support.

Abstract: Footwear including a sole having a front and a back for supporting a bottom of a foot. A heel cup at the back of the sole receives and supports a heel of the foot. The heel cup has a bottom for further supporting the bottom of the foot and a side wall extending up from the bottom. The side wall has a generally concave rear section for receiving and supporting the back of the heel and opposite side sections extending forward from the rear section. The recess in the rear section of the side wall of the heel cup is offset laterally from a longitudinal central vertical plane of the heel cup. The recess is sized for accommodating the rearwardly protruding lateral posterior portion of the calcaneus of the foot.

Abstract: Footwear comprising a sole formed from a first resilient material for attenuating the shock of impact to a wearer during running or walking, and a second material harder than the first material for providing firm support for a foot. The sole has heel, arch and toe sections, each of which have medial and lateral regions. The sole also has a forefoot section having a first region for supporting the first, second, third, fourth and fifth metatarsal heads of the foot, associated phalanges and metatarsal phalangeal joints, and the metatarsal necks associated with the fourth and fifth metatarsal heads, and a second region for supporting the metatarsal necks associated with the second and third metatarsal heads.

Abstract: Footwear comprising a sole formed from a first resilient material for attenuating the shock of impact to a wearer during running or walking, and a second material harder than the first material for providing firm support for a foot. The sole has heel, arch and toe sections, each of which have medial and lateral regions. The sole also has a forefoot section having a first region for supporting the first, second, third, fourth and fifth metatarsal heads of the foot, associated phalanges and metatarsal phalangeal joints, and the metatarsal necks associated with the fourth and fifth metatarsal heads, and a second region for supporting the metatarsal necks associated with the second and third metatarsal heads.