An article of footwear is provided and includes an upper, a fluid-filled chamber including a first portion in contact with the upper in a first region, and a midsole including a first portion disposed between the fluid-filled chamber and the upper in a second region.

An article of footwear is provided and includes an upper, a fluid-filled chamber including a first portion in contact with the upper in a first region, and a midsole including a first portion disposed between the fluid-filled chamber and the upper in a second region.

A forefoot orthotic device has multiple regions configured so that impact, propulsive or standing forces experienced by the forefoot of the user are accelerated, decelerated, shifted. transferred, or lessened, so as to promote pain reduction or otherwise address or treat conditions of the forefoot. In one implementation, the device includes expanded areas adapted to underlie the first and fifth metatarsal heads and cushion or offload forces therefrom. In still other variations. the device includes a plateau and regions adjacent the plateau and sloping downwardly therefrom, so that the time during which painful regions of the forefoot experience force, such as during gait or standing, is lessened in favor of transferring such forces to adjacent regions which potentially are less in need of treatment or protection from such forces.

A sockliner for a shoe may be formed to include an integral fabric skirt. The fabric skirt may remain loose from the sockliner along at least a portion of the periphery of the sockliner. The loose periphery of the fabric skirt may be used to join the sockliner to other shoe components, as in a strobel-type seam.

A sole structure for an article of footwear includes a fluid filled bladder that is formed from a plurality of coextensive, stacked polymeric sheets. An anti-weld material is disposed between two of the polymeric sheets within a central region of the sheets, the anti-weld material operative to inhibit a first polymeric sheet from being able to thermally fuse with a second polymeric sheet wherever the anti-weld material is present. The first polymeric sheet and the second polymeric sheet are fused together in a peripheral region that surrounds the central region, the peripheral region forming a peripheral flange. At least one of the first polymeric sheet and second polymeric sheet includes a plurality of integrated reinforcing fibers that are operative to increase a modulus of elasticity of the sheet in a direction parallel to the reinforcing fibers.

A cushioning structure includes an externally-reinforced bladder, the bladder having a first polymeric sheet and a second polymeric sheet, where each polymeric sheet includes an internal surface and an opposite external surface. A first reinforcing layer is in contact with the external surface of the first polymeric sheet, where the first reinforcing layer has a greater modulus than the first polymeric sheet. A second reinforcing layer is in contact with the external surface of the second polymeric sheet, where the second reinforcing layer has a greater modulus than the second polymeric sheet. The bladder includes an internal volume and a peripheral flange surrounding the internal volume, and the reinforcing layers are only secured to the polymeric sheets at the peripheral flange.

A human shoe sole has foot supporting upper surface including a first region for supporting the first, second, third, fourth and optionally fifth metatarsal heads of the foot of the wearer when the human shoe sole is worn; a second region for supporting the wearer's heel when the shoe sole is worn; and a section bridging the first section and the second section. The shoe sole includes a cuboid pad immediately forward the second section configured to underlie essentially the central interior region of the cuboid bone of the wearer, The cuboid pad includes an obliquely running groove or notch on a superior surface of the cuboid pad arranged to align with the location of the peroneus longus tendon of the wearer.

A sole structure, having a forefoot region; a mid-foot region; and a heel region; wherein the sole structure includes a midsole including a cushioning element disposed in the heel region and having a top surface, and a heel stabilizing element disposed in the heel region and around a portion of an exterior surface of the midsole, the heel stabilizing element extending from a first end disposed on a medial side of the sole structure to a second end disposed on a lateral side of the sole structure, wherein the first end of the heel stabilizing element is offset from the second end of the heel stabilizing element along a longitudinal axis of the article of footwear.

A comfort system for Cowboy and work boots, including an insole chassis, an insole chassis backing board, and cushioning pads for absorbing and attenuating shocks encountered by a wearer of the boots. Cushioning pads are secured to a surface of the insole chassis backing board, and apertures in the insole chassis allow the cushions to pass through. Additional cushioning pads are retained in recesses in the midsole. Pads on insole chassis backing board and midsole are vertically aligned. A steel toe inset is utilized in conjunction with the comfort system for work boots. A rim may depend below the midsole to receive a foamed plastic pad.

In one possible embodiment, the inventive subject matter is directed to a foot covering, comprising: a thin, flexible compartment for receiving a foot. The compartment has a forefoot section, a midfoot section, and a rearfoot section of selected rigidity. The compartment has a top surface for securing the foot and a ground-facing surface having a sole divided into at least two portions comprising (1) a forefoot portion and midfoot portion and/or (2) a midfoot portion and a rearfoot portion. At least one sole portion comprises a midfoot portion disposed between a forefoot portion and/or a rearfoot portion. In the foot covering, each pair of sole portions is divided along a flexural line running generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of the foot. The sole portions and flexural line(s), in combination with the flexible compartment, have a material construction and are arranged so as to facilitate the close conforming of the foot covering to the foot of an intended user through plantar flexion to dorsiflexion.