A compression appliance includes a textile-based wrap, an electronic assembly, and wiring comprising a single wire looped through the length of the wrap. The wiring comprises shape changing materials that are used to apply controllable intermittent sequential compression or constriction pressure to a body portion of a person when the compression appliance is wrapped around the body portion. The appliance can incorporate a pre-tensioning element that applies a known initial tension to the shape changing material prior to activation of a compression cycle. The wire can be then actuated according to a compression protocol to sequentially contract and release the wire. The proposed wiring and component configuration will need access to lower power and a reduced volume of hardware as compared to conventional compression appliances.

A system for providing exercise incentives and/or providing massage is disclosed herein. The system includes a pair of shoes to be worn by a user during exercise; a software application downloadable to an electronic device and configured to wirelessly communicate with the pair of shoes; and a server in communication with the software application. In some embodiments, the pair of shoes includes massage pads and cooling/warming elements. The system is primarily useful for providing a monetary incentive to exercise and secondarily useful for providing relief to a user's feet via massage.

A footwear sole obtained by molding a single polymeric material, the footwear sole includes a lower surface to contact the ground, and an upper surface to support an insole and, on the upper surface, at least one elastically deformable cushioning element. The cushioning element includes an elongated element cantileverly protruding from the upper surface, and a plurality of tabs extending from the upper surface that are arranged around the elongated element, thereby defining a dome. In an undeformed configuration of the cushioning element the tabs are upright, and there is a gap between the tabs and the elongated element, and in a deformed configuration of the cushioning element the tabs are each bent towards the elongated element and in abutment against it. The switching from the undeformed to the deformed causes the area of the bearing surface provided to the insole by each cushioning element to gradually increase.

Systems, devices and methods for providing active and/or passive compression therapy to a body part can include a compression device worn over a compression stocking. The compression device can have a pulley based drive train that is driven by a motor to tighten and loosen compression elements, such as compression straps, in a precise, rapid, and balanced manner. Sensors can be used in the compression device and/or compression stockings to provide feedback to modulate the compression treatment parameters.

A massaging shoe including a shoe body portion formed of a vibration transmitting material and having an interior surface which includes a multiplicity of integrally formed raised surface elements and a vibrator operative to generate vibrations, the vibrations being transmitted via the vibration transmitting material and the integrally formed raised surface elements to a foot of a wearer of the shoe.

The present disclosure relates to a dual-density insole (or sock liner) for a shoe. According to aspects set forth herein, the insole includes a carrier with two cavities. Two inserts with a density or hardness level that is different from that of the carrier are positioned in the cavities for increased performance. The disclosed insole further exhibits a molded geometry marked with shaped protrusions.

A plurality of orthotic systems are provided. One bi-layer system is constructed from a single sheet of fabric that is molded into two layers. One tri-layer system includes a base layer; a mid-layer; and an upper layer. The upper layer is joined to the mid-layer and the mid-layer is joined to the base layer. The coupling of the base layer, the mid-layer and the upper layer create a rear spring section, a mid-spring section and a front spring section in which the upper layer is suspended over the mid-layer and the heel portion is suspended on the proximal heel end of the base layer.

Footwear includes a footbed portion including a support region. The support region includes an upper surface-side projection portion forming region having a plurality of upper surface-side projection portions. A maximum outer dimension in a cross-section orthogonal to a projecting direction of each of the plurality of upper surface-side projection portions is not greater than 3.0 mm. A projection length of each of the plurality of upper surface-side projection portions is not less than 4.0 mm and not greater than 13.0 mm, and an arrangement density of the plurality of upper surface-side projection portions in the upper surface-side projection portion forming region is not less than 10% and not greater than 100% in terms of an area ratio. An elastic modulus of a material forming the plurality of upper surface-side projection portions is not less than 0.1 MPa and not greater than 100 MPa.

Disclosed herein are systems and methods for transforming footwear. A footwear system includes one or more portions configured in a first profile. The footwear system includes one or more sensors configured to generate a value based on a surface in contact with at least one of the one or more portions. The footwear system includes an actuator configured to change, responsive to determining that the value satisfies a profile configuration condition, a configuration of the one or more portions from the first profile to a second profile in accordance with the surface.

The invention discloses a pair of intelligent massage shoes, each including a vamp, a sole composed of a sole plate and a cushion plate, and massage columns arranged in the sole plate and stretching out of the cushion plate. The massage columns are matched with positions of acupuncture points of a sole, and are driven to carry out a reciprocating motion up and down through a lifting power device, thus massaging the sole. The lifting power device is fixed on a bottom plate, which is connected with an adjustment power device that pushes the lifting power device to move back and forth, thus adjusting the front and back positions of the massage columns to adapt to feet with different sizes. Each shoe has an air pocket charged with air through an electric air charging apparatus, thus forming a space in the shoe adaptive to accommodate the feet with different sizes.