Balance training footwear

Abstract

A method and apparatus for footwear that may be used for balance training or muscle strengthening, particularly, for example, in the game of golf. The footwear includes a sole having a toe portion and a heel portion, each of the toe and heel portions including an upper surface and a lower surface. The toe and heel portions may form an integrated sole and/or a coupling mechanism may be provided that adjustably couples the toe portion to the heel portion. At least one of the toe portion and heel portion includes an angled edge adjacent to the lower surface that allows pivoting of the footwear in a forward pivot direction, a backward pivot direction and/or a side cant direction. The footwear may be a sandal having straps for being worn over a shoe and/or may be incorporated into a sole during the manufacture of a shoe.

1 . A sandal for providing balance training during a golf swing, comprising:
 a sole having an upper surface, a lower surface, a front portion, a back portion, wherein the lower surface includes at least two side cant portions, wherein the front portion of the sole includes a forward angled edge portion adjacent to the lower surface that allows pivoting of the sole in a forward direction, wherein the back portion of the sole includes a backward angled edge portion adjacent to the lower surface that allows pivoting of the sole in a backward direction, wherein the at least two side cant portions of the lower surface allow canting of the sole in a side to side direction, wherein the at least two side cant portions include a medial side portion and a lateral side portion, wherein an angle of the medial side portion from horizontal is different than an angle of the lateral side portion from horizontal by at least one degree and facilitates balance training during the golf swing, and wherein the medial side portion and the lateral side portion are divided by a dividing interface disposed on the lower surface that has a non-linear profile; and   a frictional surface disposed on the upper surface of the sole, wherein the frictional surface is made of a material that forms to a contact surface of a golf shoe applied to the upper surface of the sole and that facilitates non-slip of the golf shoe with respect to the upper surface of the toe portion and the upper surface of the heel portion during the golf swing.   
     
     
         2 . The sandal according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of: the forward angled edge portion or the backward angled edge portion has a non-linear profile. 
     
     
         3 . The sandal according to  claim 1 , wherein said sole includes a toe portion with the front portion and heel portion with the back portion, the sandal further comprising:
 a coupling mechanism that couples said toe portion to said heel portion and allows adjustment of a spacing between the toe portion and the heel portion.   
     
     
         4 . The sandal according to  claim 5 , wherein said coupling mechanism includes a threaded rod, and wherein said toe portion and said heel portion receive at least a portion of said threaded rod. 
     
     
         5 . The sandal according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least one strap attached to said sole that secures the golf shoe to the upper surface of the sole.   
     
     
         6 . The sandal according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least two side cant portions are each angled in a range of approximately 10 degrees to approximately 50 degrees with respect to the lower surface. 
     
     
         7 . The sandal according to  claim 1 , wherein the forward angled edge portion and the backward angled edge portion are each angled in a range of approximately 10 degrees to approximately 50 degrees. 
     
     
         8 . The sandal according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least one spring disposed on the lower surface of the sole.   
     
     
         9 . The sandal according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least one spike disposed on the lower surface of the sole.   
     
     
         10 . The sandal according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least one recess disposed in the upper surface of the sole that is sized and positioned to accommodate a spike of the golf shoe applied to the upper surface.   
     
     
         11 . A method for using a sandal to provide balance training during a golf swing, comprising:
 affixing the sandal to at least one golf shoe that is worn by a golfer during the golf swing, the sandal including:
 a sole having an upper surface, a lower surface, a front portion, and a back portion, wherein the lower surface includes at least two side cant portions, wherein the front portion of the sole includes a forward angled edge portion adjacent to the lower surface that allows pivoting of the sole in a forward direction, wherein the back portion of the sole includes a backward angled edge portion adjacent to the lower surface that allows pivoting of the sole in a backward direction, wherein the at least two side cant portions of the lower surface allow canting of the sole in a side to side direction, wherein the at least two side cant portions include a medial side portion and a lateral side portion, wherein an angle of the medial side portion from horizontal is different than an angle of the lateral side portion from horizontal by at least one degree and facilitates balance training during the golf swing, and wherein the medial side portion and the lateral side portion are divided by a dividing interface disposed on the lower surface that has a non-linear profile; and 
 a frictional surface disposed on the upper surface of the sole, wherein the frictional surface is made of a material that forms to a contact surface of the golf shoe applied to the upper surface of the sole and that facilitates non-slip of the golf shoe with respect to the upper surface of the toe portion and the upper surface of the heel portion during the golf swing. 
   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein at least one of: the forward angled edge portion or the backward angled edge portion has a non-linear profile. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the sole includes a toe portion with the front portion and heel portion with the back portion, the sandal further including:
 a coupling mechanism that couples said toe portion to said heel portion and allows adjustment of a spacing between the toe portion and the heel portion.   
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein said coupling mechanism includes a threaded rod, and wherein said toe portion and said heel portion receive at least a portion of said threaded rod. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 at least one strap attached to said sole that secures the golf shoe to the upper surface of the sole.   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the at least two side cant portions are each angled in a range of approximately 10 degrees to approximately 50 degrees with respect to the lower surface. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the forward angled edge portion and the backward angled edge portion are each angled in a range of approximately 10 degrees to approximately 50 degrees. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 at least one spring disposed on the lower surface of the sole.   
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 at least one spike disposed on the lower surface of the sole.   
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 at least one recess disposed in the upper surface of the sole that is sized and positioned to accommodate a spike of the golf shoe applied to the upper surface.