This application discloses shoe inserts which are configured such that a user may expose one or more adhesive layers while the cushioning shoe insert is maintained at an optimal location within a shoe, thereby securing the cushioning shoe inserts precisely at the optimal location. Moreover, this application discloses shoe inserts which are designed to distribute necessary support forces, e.g. through a foot chock, thereby mitigating or eliminating uncomfortable levels of localized pressure.

A sole includes a rear end portion on a rear end side, and a rear portion arranged anterior to the rear end portion; a rear surface of the rear portion includes one inclined surface extending in an upper-rear diagonal direction; a front surface of the rear end portion includes another inclined surface extending in an upper-rear diagonal direction; the inclined surface of the rear portion and the inclined surface of the rear end portion together define a first divide portion at which the surfaces are in contact with each other or are capable of contacting each other; and the inclined surface of the rear end portion is set so that the inclined surface is rotatable relative to the inclined surface of the rear portion in such a manner that a lower portion of the divide portion opens.

An insole board for a high-heel shoe, said insole board includes a heel supporting area having a concave heel cup adapted to underlie a heel of the wearer, a medial arch support area adapted to underlie the arch of the wearer's foot and extending toeward of but short of the ball of the wearer's foot, and a forefoot area adapted to underlie the ball of the foot and forefoot of the wearer. The medial arch support area has a raised contour for supporting a portion of a sole of the wearer's foot underlying the wearer's arch, and the forefoot support area includes a hollow having a resiliently deformable material therein.

A pressing fixture includes discrete pieces that may be used in the manufacture of an article of footwear. The pressing fixture may include alignment features which align a partially completed article with a sole. The pressing fixture may be pressed into the sole thereby aligning the partially completed article with the sole.

An improved article of footwear and a related method of manufacture are provided. The article of footwear can include a sole construction including a midsole and an outsole that are configured to promote the natural motion of the wearer's foot and conformance to the ground. The sole construction can additionally include an insole construction having enhanced flexibility in the forefoot region to further accommodate dorsi-flexion and plantar-flexion of the wearer's foot. The related method of manufacture provides the assembly of an article of footwear having these and other features, which can be suitable for athletic wear, outdoor wear and casual wear by adults, adolescents and small children.

An article of footwear includes a sole having a bottom surface configured to contact ground when the article is worn by a wearer, a top surface opposite the bottom surface, and an inwardly directed rim extending about at least a portion of a periphery of the sole. The rim defines a channel sized to receive a peripheral edge of an insole for retaining the insole over the top surface of the sole. The article also includes an upper attached to the sole defining an opening sized to receive a foot of a wearer, the upper being configured to secure the sole to the wearers' foot.

A shoe having a bio foot pad, including a plurality of circumferential elastic fibers surrounded by a viscoelastic material; wherein said fibers impart a biphasic characteristic to said viscoelastic material; and wherein said fibers under compression develop a plurality of hoop stresses to facilitate load conversion and distribution of axial forces exerted against a heel area of a user.

A bio foot pad, comprising: a plurality of circumferential elastic fibers surrounded by a viscoelastic material; wherein said fibers impart a biphasic characteristic to said viscoelastic material; and wherein said fibers under compression develop a plurality of hoop stresses to facilitate load conversion and distribution of axial forces exerted against a heel area of a user.

A footwear assembly has a sole assembly with an insole board having a peripheral edge, a heel portion, a forefoot portion, and an arch portion. The insole board has a lateral side, a medial side, a top surface, and a bottom surface facing away from the top surface. The footwear assembly has an upper with a lower side portion having a lateral forefoot flange, a lateral arch flange, a lateral heel flange, a medial forefoot flange, a medial arch flange, and a medial heel flange. The lateral forefoot flange is stitched to the top surface of the insole board along the forefoot portion, and the lateral arch flange and the lateral heel flange wrap around the peripheral edge along the insole board's lateral side and are attached to the bottom surface at the arch portion and heel portion without being stitched to the insole board's top surface. The medial heel flange is stitched to the top surface of the insole board along the heel portion portion, and the medial arch flange and the medial forefoot flange are wrapped around peripheral edge along the insole board's lateral side and are attached to the bottom surface at the arch portion and forefoot portion without being stitched to the insole board's top surface.

A pump or high-heeled shoe (100) with an insole (1) and a heel (4), wherein the insole (1) has a front insole (2) located in a forefoot region (20) and a rear insole (3) extending across a midfoot region (21) and a rearfoot region (22), and at least the rear insole (3) is produced from a fiber-reinforced plastic material.