An article of footwear includes a sole and an upper that includes a heel end, a toe end, a medial side, and a lateral side. The upper defines a throat opening between the medial and lateral sides, and the sole and the upper jointly defining a foot cavity. The article of footwear further includes a support member extending from a first side of the article of footwear to a second side of the article of footwear, and an actuator fixedly attached to the support member at the first side of the article of footwear. A securing strap extends across the throat opening and has a first end operably connected to the actuator and a second end fixedly connected to the second side of the article of footwear.

Foot support components include plural foot support members (e.g., arched slats or other support members) forming at least a portion of a footbed for a sole structure/article of footwear. Spacings between individual foot support members enable selective activation of one or more individual members, thereby providing support where needed and enhancing overall comfort without overly stiffening the footbed. When made from sufficiently rigid/resilient materials, the foot support components may apply return energy to the wearer's foot. This may occur, for example, by vertically deflecting (e.g., flattening out) one or more foot support members under applied force, and then the deflected foot support member(s) will spring back to and/or toward its/their original shape when the force sufficiently abates/relaxes.

A footwear construction includes a sole assembly including a first midsole platform, a second midsole platform below the first midsole platform, a spring plate disposed between the first and second midsole platforms, and an outsole layer disposed below and joined directly with at least one of the plate, the first and the second midsole platforms. The outsole layer can be substantially the only layer below the plate in the forefoot region of the footwear so an underfoot force engaging the outsole layer is transmitted directly to the plate, which also can have an upward curving, multi-radii transition portion extending from a lowermost portion to a forward most portion of the plate so as to roll a wearer's foot forward into a next stride in a gait cycle of the wearer. The plate can define an aperture. A mounting cap can extend through the aperture and can receive a traction spike.

A footwear construction includes a sole assembly including a first midsole platform, a second midsole platform below the first midsole platform, a spring plate disposed between the first and second midsole platforms, and an outsole layer disposed below and joined directly with at least one of the plate, the first and the second midsole platforms. The outsole layer can be substantially the only layer below the plate in the forefoot region of the footwear so an underfoot force engaging the outsole layer is transmitted directly to the plate, which also can have an upward curving, multi-radii transition portion extending from a lowermost portion to a forward most portion of the plate so as to roll a wearer's foot forward into a next stride in a gait cycle of the wearer. The plate can define an aperture. A mounting cap can extend through the aperture and can receive a traction spike.

A sole structure includes: a base having a plate-like shape, and disposed near a ground; a plurality of pillars protruding upward from the base, and spaced apart from each other, the pillars being elastically deformable; and an upper plate portion disposed above the base. The pillars are disposed between the base and the upper plate portion with lower end portions of the pillars fixed to the base and with upper end portions of the pillars fixed to the upper plate portion.

A method of forming a plate for an article of footwear is disclosed. The method includes applying a first strand portion to a base layer including positioning adjacent segments of the first strand portion to form a first layer on the base layer. The adjacent segments of the first strand portion having a greater density across a width of the plate between a medial side and a lateral side at a forefoot region of the plate than at a midfoot region of the plate and at a heel region of the plate. The method also includes applying at least one of heat and pressure to the first strand portion and to the base layer to conform the first strand portion and the base layer to a predetermined shape.

A method of forming a plate for an article of footwear is disclosed. The method includes applying a first strand portion to a base layer including positioning adjacent segments of the first strand portion to form a first layer on the base layer. The adjacent segments of the first strand portion having a greater density across a width of the plate between a medial side and a lateral side at a forefoot region of the plate than at a midfoot region of the plate and at a heel region of the plate. The method also includes applying at least one of heat and pressure to the first strand portion and to the base layer to conform the first strand portion and the base layer to a predetermined shape.

An adjustable corrective shoe component is provided. The shoe component can be disposed in an inner lining of a shoe. The shoe component may include a shell formed conformal to an interior bottom surface of the shoe and curving upwards at sides of the shoe. The shell may include a forefoot section to accommodate a forefoot area of a foot, a middle section to accommodate a midfoot area of the foot, and a hind section to accommodate a hind area of the foot. The shoe component may include a strap attached to a medial side of the middle section and configured to pull the middle section towards a lateral side of the shoe to cause the middle section to support an arch of the foot.

An adjustable corrective shoe component is provided. The shoe component can be disposed in an inner lining of a shoe. The shoe component may include a shell formed conformal to an interior bottom surface of the shoe and curving upwards at sides of the shoe. The shell may include a forefoot section to accommodate a forefoot area of a foot, a middle section to accommodate a midfoot area of the foot, and a hind section to accommodate a hind area of the foot. The shoe component may include a strap attached to a medial side of the middle section and configured to pull the middle section towards a lateral side of the shoe to cause the middle section to support an arch of the foot.

Methods for fracturing a subterranean formation penetrated by a well bore are provided, the method comprising the step of injecting a well treatment fluid into the well bore at a pressure and flow rate sufficient to fracture the subterranean formation, wherein the well treatment fluid comprises one or more iron-containing compounds and one or more booster compounds. The methods can be used to reduce viscosity and to facilitate the decomposition of acrylamide-containing polymers.