Abstract: An orthotic insole and a method for manufacturing the same, the orthotic insole comprising: an insole body receivable in a footwear, the insole body having a front body end, a rear body end opposite the front body end, a top body surface for receiving a foot of the user and a bottom surface configured to be received on an insole of the footwear, the top insole surface including a plurality of top surface portions, each top surface portion being substantially angled relative to an adjacent top surface portion, the top surface being substantially untwisted along its length between the front and rear body ends such that the top surface remains leveled in a widthwise direction as the top body surface extends from the front body end to the rear body end.

Abstract: An articulated mechanical joint for use in knee apparatuses such as knee braces allowing extension and flexion of the wearers' knees to which the braces are applied, artificial articulated knees of leg prostheses, and the like, comprises a pair of elongated femoral and tibial links edgedly facing each other at one end and a pair of cheek plates one on each side over the links. Each cheek plate is pivotally connected to both links up their edgedly facing ends, one plate independently of the other so that each end of each link has two pivots connecting to the two plates. The pivot axes of the different pivots are so positioned that the rotation axis of the pivotally connected links is so shifted as to reproduce accurately the complex rotation of the knee. Moreover, because of the strengthening cheek plates, the mechanical joint provides a better resistance to sidewise motion of the tibia and femur of the leg.