Dynamic Footwear that Aligns the body and Absorbs the impact

Abstract

An article of footwear is disclosed. According to the present invention there is provided a light-weight shoe having a sole with a hard upper section in the form of a plate with high rigidity at the lateral part, and a highly compressible lower section. Due to the soft materials used in the lower section, and due to the recesses and grooves at the ground facing side, the total average density between the hard upper section and the ground is very low. Due to the specific location of the plate and the recesses the shoe facilitates optimal body alignment in standing, walking and running.

1 . Footwear with a sole that has two sections:
 an upper section being a plate with a Shore A hardness greater than 85, that is situated directly under the metatarsals, cuboid bone and calcaneus of the foot of the wearer, and that has high rigidity only in the area under the fifth metatarsal, cuboid bone and calcaneus and   a highly compressible lower section with gaps and recesses which together with the sole material have an average density of between 20 kg/m 2  and 250 kg/m 2 .   
     
     
         2 . Footwear as claimed in  claim 1 :
 in which less than 30% of the bottom surface area is ground engaged or within 3 mm distance of the ground, when the wearer applies less than 50 Newton of force from his body weight on to the sole, and   in which the gap directly below the tuber calcanei fully closes up only when the user applies more than 700 Newton of force on to the calcaneus of the weight bearing leg.   
     
     
         3 . Footwear as claimed in  claim 1  wherein projections at the bottom of the bottom section run from rear lateral to medial anterior following the natural path of the centre of pressure of the human body on the ground when walking and running. 
     
     
         4 . Footwear as claimed in  claim 1  wherein a recess in the bottom section is provided, which in use, is situated below the posterior half of the heel bone: the tuber calcanei, and to the medial and lateral and rear of this part of the sole and has extended more anteriorly at the medial side than at the lateral 
     
     
         5 . Footwear as claimed in  claim 1  wherein one of the projections of the bottom section is situated medially at the sole and, in use, anteriorly of the tuber calcanei acting as a medial stabiliser to prevent excessive pronation movement of the ankle and foot. 
     
     
         6 . Footwear as claimed in  claim 1  wherein one of the projections of the bottom section is situated laterally at the sole and, in use, anteriorly to the tuber calcanei and posterior to the metatarsal heads, acting as a lateral stabiliser to prevent excessive supination movement of the ankle and foot. 
     
     
         7 . An insole to be fitted inside footwear with a sole that has two sections as claimed in  claim 1 .