Abstract: The invention is related to a method for the selection of an insole and/or of a shoe that adjusts the posture of the foot and for determination of the biomechanical mode of operation of the foot. In the method, the determination of the mode of operation of the foot is carried out by placing the foot on a symmetry axis of a measurement base, and the load thus applied by the measurement base to a rigid support base in relation to the symmetry axis of the measurement base is measured. For the measurement, the supposed symmetry axis of the foot to be measured is aligned with the symmetry axis of the measurement base by guiding the position of the foot onto said symmetry axis by the heel and by the toes. The measurement of the load is carried out preferably in two stages so that first the load is measured when the person stands on the measurement bases with straight legs, and thereafter the load is measured when the knees have been bent substantially 45.degree. from the straight posture.

Abstract: A shoe, especially for use in athletic activities such as ball games, having a sole structure including a insole, a flexible midsole, and an outer sole forming a wearing surface. The outer sole in constructed, at least in a toe region of the shoe, in a cuplike form. An upper of the shoe is constructed, also at least in the toe region of the shoe, in a doubled manner, having an inner layer and an outer layer. The outer layer of the upper of the shoe and the outer sole are attached to the shoe, with an upwardly-rising, cuplike edge of the outer sole lying between the inner layer and the outer layer of the upper of the shoe. A method for manufacturing this shoe, and a blank for a sole of the shoe, are also provided by the invention herein.

Abstract: A sole structure of a shoe, e.g. a sport shoe, comprising an outer wearing sole, an inner or intermediate layer, and additionally a cushioning and supporting structure between the sole and layer. The cushioning and supporting structure has a flexible toe portion extending substantially from a tip of the shoe to a ball area of a foot in the shoe, a resilient heel portion tapering in a wedge-like manner from a rear edge of the shoe towards the forward tip of the shoe, and extending at least over a heel area of the shoe, and additionally a body piece fitted above the heel portion and substantially extending from the rear edge of the shoe to the ball area of the foot, over a zone adapted to fit against the heel of the arch of the foot. The body piece is substantially stiffer and harder than the heel portion and the toe portion.

Abstract: A running surface or coating material, or coating for a ski, for variable snow conditions, in particular for use in cross-country or long distance skiing, is mounted in the central region of the running surface of the ski as an ascending aid. The coating consists of a soft elastically behaving substance and a harder particle component. Part of the harder particles are so disposed that they project from the bottom surface of the ski. This is accomplished by grinding the surface of the ski bottom coating plate means to be the bottom surface, in such manner that a hairy cover is produced on the ground surface. The projecting particles of the hairy cover are affixed by their roots in the elastically behaving substance.

Abstract: A ski which has a sandwich structure including upper and lower plastic laminations and a foamed plastic core situated therebetween with dense side portions integral with the upper and lower laminations and forming a shell surrounding the foamed core has in its new finished condition the same condition as when the ski is removed from a mold, so that finishing operations are not required subsequent to removal of the ski from the mold. The mold which is used to manufacture the ski has opposed relatively wide walls and a pair of opposed relatively narrow walls which are permanently fixed to one of the relatively wide walls while the other of the relatively wide walls is movable to and from an operating position closing the mold and cooperating with the relatively narrow walls for this purpose.

Abstract: A shoe has an insole, an outsole, and a midsole situated between the insole and outsole, with a wedge member being situated between the midsole and outsole at a heel region thereof and extending from the heel region toward an arch region thereof. This wedge member is formed with at least one opening situated at the heel region and extending downwardly from the midsole toward the outsole with the midsole and insole both having sufficient flexibility to extend at least partly into said opening in response to receiving the weight of the wearer of the shoe, so that the shoe can adapt itself to the shape of the foot of the wearer and contribute toward uniform support for the foot.

Abstract: A stick to be used in ice hockey or the like, and in particular the blade structure thereof. The blade structure has a core consisting in its entirety of a single elongated body of wear-resistant material extending all the way from the bottom to the top edge regions as well as from the front tip to the rear end regions of the blade structure. This single core body has opposed side surfaces covered almost but not entirely by a pair of strengthening layers, preferably of reinforced plastic, while the core body itself is preferably made of wear-resistant plastic material. The core body projects downwardly beyond the strengthening layers as well as upwardly beyond the same to provide the blade structure with wear and impact-resistant elongated lower and upper edge regions formed by the core body itself. Preferably the core body also extends forwardly beyond the strengthening layers so as to be exposed and provide the blade with a wear and impact-resistant front tip region formed by the core body itself.

Abstract: A stick to be used for ice hockey or the like. The stick is composed of a plurality of inner core pieces to the exterior of which reinforced plastic layers are laminated. Along the bottom of the blade of the stick is a hard-wearing core piece which extends downwardly beyond the layers laminated thereto so as to be exposed at the bottom edge of the blade for directly engaging the ice or the like. The several core pieces have only flat end surfaces engaging each other, so that they are not joined by tongue-and-groove joints or the like, and these core pieces may be held together at least temporarily by fasteners such as staples so that the assembled core pieces can then have the outer layers of reinforced plastic laminated thereto.