Abstract: An article of footwear promotes complimentary movement and proprioceptive feedback of a user's foot (e.g., to help an infant learn to walk or an adult balance on an uneven surface) while wearing the article of footwear. The article of footwear includes an outsole having a forefoot region, a heel region, and a mid region substantially in between the forefoot and heel regions. The three regions are configured to provide complimentary movement with respect to the user's foot. The forefoot region of the outsole includes a base portion interconnecting ground contact pads configured to move relative to one another, each ground contact pad moving substantially independently of the other relative to the base portion.

Abstract: A grind rail apparatus coupleable to an underside of a footwear for grinding is provided. The grind rail apparatus includes a body having an upper side and a lower side, the upper side of the body coupled to the underside of the footwear. The grind rail apparatus also includes a plurality of rails extending from the lower side of the body.

Abstract: An insole for use with footwear includes a first layer including a heel portion of a first thickness, a mid portion connected to a front section of the heel portion and having a substantially constant thickness which is much less than the first thickness, and having an upward curvature, an upper surface extending along the mid and heel portions and on which a person stands, and a lower surface extending along the mid and heel portions, the lower surface including a shallow recess in the mid portion, the first layer being made of a material of a first hardness; and a flexible and resilient, thin arch spring insert of a substantially constant thickness secured in the recess and following the curvature of the mid portion, the arch spring insert being made of a material of a second hardness which is greater than the first hardness.

Abstract: Grind shoe device of the present invention includes a shoe sole having downwardly facing heel and forefoot tread surfaces and a downwardly opening recess formed with longitudinal and transverse recess sections. A grind plate device is formed with transverse and longitudinal grind plate sections for receipt in the respective transverse and longitudinal recess sections, at least one of such grind plate sections being formed with a downwardly facing trough for grinding along a rail, curb or the like. The longitudinal grind plate section is flexible and in some embodiments is foiled of rigid sections of discrete rigid grind plate portions disposed to flex relative to one another to facilitate flexing of the sole. The method of the present invention involves the manufacturing of the sole with such downwardly facing recess and fabricating the grind plate device to be complementally received in its top side in such recesses.

Abstract: A method of making a grinding shoe involving constructing a sole of high friction material having a downwardly facing high friction surface interrupted medially by an upwardly raised recess having opposite sides curved outwardly to form flares and making a plate to conform to such recess and securing such plate thereto to provide a downwardly facing low friction grind surface.

Abstract: An improved article of footwear, specifically for use in the sport of tennis. The article of footwear addresses motions prevalent in the sport of tennis by enhancing performance and preventing injuries. The article of footwear is asymmetrical and the lateral and medial portions have features to performs different functions to enhance flexibility, balance control, propulsion, stability and support in the specific areas where needed. In part, the medial portion of the article of footwear is designed to provide flexibility while the lateral portion is designed to create stability. These differences in the medial and lateral portions of the article of footwear exist in the upper, e.g., lacing system, material composition, and material thickness differences, and/or in the sole, e.g., different midsole materials, supporting elements effecting only the lateral side.

Abstract: An article of athletic footwear with a sole incorporating low friction surfaces for sliding across a protruding feature on a supporting surface and walking surfaces for other athletic pursuits, and a method of making same.