A shoe support structure comprising a hard rubber-like material and a gel material. The rubber-like material is constructed so that it has a change in thickness beginning at the arch, where it slopes down, leveling out at a thickness of about 1 inches. This change in thickness creates a frontal recess, leaving a bead of rubber at the outer edge. This cavity holds a thick cushion of about 1 inches of highly viscous gel material held in place by the rubber lip and adhered to the elastic material. This creates a cushion when the foot applies weight. The front of the sole and the back of the heel are equal in height, giving the entire surface equal height planes for balance. The two materials are one rubber like, one gel like and slope toward each other at the arch in identical angles.

A shoe insert includes a generally planar body having a perimeter defining a foot-shaped area on an upper side of the body, the foot-shaped area including first and second toe areas and a heel area configured respectively for placement of a first toe, a second toe, and a heel of a user. The upper side defines a channel extending along an axis passing through a space between the first and second toe areas and the heel area. A linear member may be placed in the channel to protrude from an upper surface of the body. When a user uses the insert, the user's foot may sense the channel (or linear member, if present) and activate mechano-receptors on the bottom of the foot along the channel, which, in-turn, may train the foot to extend in a predetermined position relative to the linear member to improve balance.

A sole assembly may be formed by a method that includes positioning a plurality of preforms having different colors together to form a sole assembly preform and placing the sole assembly preform in a recess in a first portion of a mold assembly. The sole assembly preform is subjected to heat for a predetermined amount of time such that the plurality of preforms bond to one another to form a sole assembly.

A shoe or other footwear has a non-removable multi-layer insole. A middle layer of the insole has apertures that define several discrete storage chambers within the insole. Each storage chamber stores a mixture of particulate or granular materials, such as sand, powdered titanium, powdered aluminum, powdered talcum, powdered zinc. The insole or footwear further includes integrated components such as: electromyogram (EMG) sensors, temperature sensors, pressure sensors, humidity sensors, sweat sensors. The insole or footwear further includes integrated stimulating units, such as: Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) units, electrodes, infrared radiation units. Data is sensed by the sensors integrated in the insole or footwear, in response to a human foot stepping on the discrete storage chambers that store the particulate or granular materials, and optionally in response to stimulation operations. Data is processed to detect or estimate a medical condition, and to selectively modify operational properties of the stimulation units.

A shoe or other footwear has a non-removable multi-layer insole. A middle layer of the insole has apertures that define several discrete storage chambers within the insole. Each storage chamber stores a mixture of particulate or granular materials, such as sand, powdered titanium, powdered aluminum, powdered talcum, powdered zinc. The insole or footwear further includes integrated components such as: electromyogram (EMG) sensors, temperature sensors, pressure sensors, humidity sensors, sweat sensors. The insole or footwear further includes integrated stimulating units, such as: Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) units, electrodes, infrared radiation units. Data is sensed by the sensors integrated in the insole or footwear, in response to a human foot stepping on the discrete storage chambers that store the particulate or granular materials, and optionally in response to stimulation operations. Data is processed to detect or estimate a medical condition, and to selectively modify operational properties of the stimulation units.

A sole structure for an article of footwear includes a first cushioning element, a second cushioning element, and a panel disposed within a joint formed between the first cushioning element and the second cushioning element. The first cushioning element includes a first surface and a second surface formed on an opposite side from the first surface. The second cushioning element includes a third surface and a fourth surface formed on an opposite side from the third surface. The third surface of the second cushioning element is joined to the second surface of the first cushioning element to form a joint between the first cushioning element and the second cushioning element, where the fabric panel is interposed between the first cushioning element and the second cushioning element within the joint. The panel may be a fabric panel, and more particularly, may include a mesh textile material.

Described are soles for a shoe, in particular for a sports shoe, with a midsole. The midsole includes a first sole region, which includes particle foam. The midsole further includes a deformation region within the midsole, wherein the deformation region has a volume greater than that of a single expanded particle and is positioned so that it allows a sideward deformation of the material of the first sole region under a pressure load on the sole.

Described are soles for a shoe, in particular for a sports shoe, with a midsole. The midsole includes a first sole region, which includes particle foam. The midsole further includes a deformation region within the midsole, wherein the deformation region has a volume greater than that of a single expanded particle and is positioned so that it allows a sideward deformation of the material of the first sole region under a pressure load on the sole.

A plate for an article of footwear includes a substrate, a first strand portion attached to the substrate via first stitching, and a second strand portion disposed on the first layer. The first strand portion includes first segments that each extend between two different locations along the substrate to form a first layer on the substrate. The second strand portion includes second segments that each extend between two different locations along the substrate to form a second layer on the first layer.

A sole for an article of footwear includes: an upper sole portion; and a pod assembly having a plurality of pods fluidly connected in series disposed below the upper sole portion, wherein the pod assembly extends from a lateral heel portion of the sole to a medial forefoot portion of the sole such that the plurality of pods compress substantially in sequence through a gait cycle of a wearer.