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.

Footwear used for high performance activities such as running can be adhesively attached to the plantar surface of feet rather than uppers or straps. The upper surface of the protective layer of the footwear can have adhesive regions that secure the foot to the footwear and other regions that are not adhesively coupled to the foot. The adhesive regions can be under the heel, along the lateral side of the foot, under the first through fifth metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joints and around the perimeter of the foot above the plantar surface.

An adjustable footbed system comprising a removable arch support and a footbed configured to receive the removable arch support.

An adjustable footbed system comprising a removable arch support and a footbed configured to receive the removable arch support.

An anti-fatigue shoe apparatus is presented that is designed to reduce foot fatigue and discomfort. The anti-fatigue shoe apparatus makes use of novel combinations of insole, midsole, outsole, and comfort material configurations and designs to provide comfort, support, and flexibility within work footwear. The anti-fatigue shoe apparatus includes a raised arch support piece that cradles the foot's natural arch, reducing torque and improving stability. Toe and heel comfort zones made of cushioning materials provide targeted support and pressure relief. In some embodiments an injection system for providing a liquid comfort material injected into the toe and heel zones through canals in the outsole are presented for customized cushioning. The invention comes in various material combinations.

An anti-fatigue shoe apparatus is presented that is designed to reduce foot fatigue and discomfort. The anti-fatigue shoe apparatus makes use of novel combinations of insole, midsole, outsole, and comfort material configurations and designs to provide comfort, support, and flexibility within work footwear. The anti-fatigue shoe apparatus includes a raised arch support piece that cradles the foot's natural arch, reducing torque and improving stability. Toe and heel comfort zones made of cushioning materials provide targeted support and pressure relief. In some embodiments an injection system for providing a liquid comfort material injected into the toe and heel zones through canals in the outsole are presented for customized cushioning. The invention comes in various material combinations.

A sports shoe midsole includes a body and a cushioning element. The body, made of polymeric material, has an upper face and a lower face. The body defines at least one through-hole with a side wall connecting the upper face and the lower face. The cross section of the through-hole in the lower face is larger than the cross section of the through-hole in the upper face. The cushioning element is detachably mounted with respect to the body. The cushioning element fills the through-hole and bears continuously on the side wall. The cushioning element is arranged in a heel region or a metatarsal region.

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 sole includes a midsole body and a buffer member made of a material having hardness lower than that of a material constituting the midsole body. A mounting portion that mounts the buffer member is formed on a surface of a rearfoot region of the midsole body. The buffer member is mounted on the mounting portion in a non-adhesive state. One of the mounting portion and the buffer member includes a reference surface and a protrusion. The other of the mounting portion and the buffer member includes a recess. The recess includes a surrounding wall having a shape that entirely surrounds a periphery of the protrusion.