Abstract: Articles of footwear, such as for example combat boots or the like, can include one or more features that facilitate use of such articles of footwear by a wearer who has suffered an injury to a lower extremity. The injury can include amputation or loss of at least part of the wearer's original lower extremity or, optionally, a weakening of the lower extremity in a manner that requires the wearer to use an external brace. Both prosthetic devices and external braces can present difficulties to a wearer in using a conventional combat boot or other article of footwear. Implementations described herein include addition of a second opening apparatus to allow the open end of a shaft of a combat boot or other article of footwear to be increased in size to accommodate a bulkier lower extremity.