A system and method and apparatus comprising an anti-microbial, self-adhesive film, are provided which prevents dirt, sweat, fungus, and bacteria, from absorbing into the insole and the sides and bottoms of the insole. The antimicrobial, self-adhesive film of the invention is provided in a size suitable for application to an insole so as to prevent dirt, sweat, bacteria, foot wort fungus etc. from absorbing into an insole and sides, to and bottom areas of said insole.

A skate includes an inverted groove-shaped base secured to a boot and including front and rear pins; an elongated frame including front and rear sets of a transverse inner groove and a transverse open groove communicating with the transverse inner groove, and a threaded hole on the transverse open groove of the front set wherein either pin is disposed in the transverse inner groove and the elongated frame abuts an underside of the base; and a locking device including a spring biased block member disposed in the transverse open groove of the front set and having two projections at two ends respectively, a screw driven through a positioning member into the threaded hole to fasten the positioning member in the transverse open groove of the front set so that the block member abuts the front pin to block same in an assembled state.

A separated prosthetic foot with a transverse arch belongs to the technical field of manufacturing of artificial limbs. The characteristics of the transverse arch of the human foot are combined into the previous transverse-straight carbon fiber foot design to improve the stiffness of the prosthetic foot and reduce the weight of the prosthetic foot. A forefoot part employs a separated curved plate design, and two simple curved plates with different curvatures are used for simulating a complex curved surface of the transverse arch of the human, such that the manufacturing cost is reduced, and the various parts of the sole are non-uniform in stiffness distribution: the outer side of the foot is a single-layer forefoot plate with a smaller curvature and minor stiffness; and the inner side of the foot is a double-layer stacked forefoot plate, and the lower layer plate has a large radius in curvature and stiffness.

Orthotic devices for providing arch support for the foot are disclosed. The orthotic device includes a base member, an arch support portion, and a covering for coupling the arch support portion to the base member. A method of providing continuous contact with the plantar surface of the foot during all phases of the gait cycle is also disclosed. In addition, methods of assembling and using the orthotic device are also disclosed.

Ballet shoe, with a box with an open end and a closed end, an upper section and a small lower box and a shank, which can be removed from the box, with a male element that is inserted into the small box. The small box has flat walls and a flat bottom, and a flexible upper partition designed to rest on the male element of the shank under the user's weight. The shank core is then retained by the user whilst in use, and free to be removed when not.

Footwear and/or sole structures may include any one or more of: (a) a midsole component having one or more relatively large projections that extend into one or more corresponding openings in a midsole component (wherein the free end surface(s) of the large projection(s) may be siped); (b) a midsole component having one or more relatively small protrusions that extend into one or more small corresponding holes in an outsole component; (c) a midsole component having one or more relatively small holes into which one or more small corresponding protrusions on the outsole component extend; (d) a midsole component having medial and/or lateral side ridges (e.g., at least in an arch area) that receive a portion of outermost side edges of a corresponding outsole component; and/or (e) a midsole component having a relatively large central arch recess exposed through an opening in the outsole component.

A sole structure may include chambers and a transfer channel containing an electrorheological fluid. Electrodes may be positioned to create, in response to a voltage across the electrodes, an electrical field in at least a portion of the electrorheological fluid in the transfer channel. The sole structure may further include a controller including a processor and memory. At least one of the processor and memory may store instructions executable by the processor to perform operations that include maintaining the voltage across the electrodes at one or more flow-inhibiting levels at which flow of the electrorheological fluid the through the transfer channel is blocked, and that further include maintaining the voltage across the electrodes at one or more flow-enabling levels permitting flow of the electrorheological fluid through the transfer channel.

A foldable shoe includes a first sole section located under the ball of a wearer's foot including a first outsole portion and a first footbed. The foldable shoe further includes a second sole section located under the heel of a wearer's foot, the second sole section including a second outsole portion and a second footbed. An upper section extends from the first sole section, and a hinge is connected to the first sole section and the second sole section and is configured to fold the foldable shoe from a first position, to be worn, to a second position, for storage. A first magnetic material disposed in the first sole section and a second magnetic material disposed in the second sole section creates a magnetic connection to retain the foldable shoe in first position or second position.

A rapid-entry shoe having an upper, a sole portion, and at least one pocket coupled to a rear portion of the upper and encapsulating a compressed medium that biases a topline of the shoe toward an uncollapsed configuration.

A shoe includes a shoe upper that holds a wearer's foot when worn. A shoe sole is connected to the shoe upper and has a collapsible section including a body that at least partially defines a pocket in the collapsible section. An insert is installed in the pocket. The insert has a vertical thickness that expands the collapsible section and increases the vertical thickness of the shoe sole compared to when no insert is installed in the pocket. The shoe may be used for limb length correction.