Sports footwear traction elements

Abstract

The invention generally relates to footwear for sports, and particularly to a footwear system for improved athletic performance. The invention provides a footwear system for athletes in which elements provide padding and prevent slippage between an athlete and the ground. The elements are arranged according to precision measurements of maximal stresses that occur between the sole of the feet and the ground during an athletic performance. Using a system of the invention, an athlete avoids unpredictable slippage during a performance and also positions their feet consistently, with the result that performance is consistent and commensurate with equipment choice and physical abilities.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A sports footwear insert comprising:
 a shoe insert defining a ball-of-foot portion, a toe portion, a heel portion, an inner arch portion, and an outer arch portion, the insert comprising a plurality of elements for padding and traction disposed in an arrangement corresponding to a template provided by measurements of stress exhibited by an athlete's foot during performance.   
     
     
         2 . The insert of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of elements comprises at least four areas of material raised from a surrounding surface of the insert by at least 1 mm. 
     
     
         3 . The insert of  claim 1 , wherein the elements are all of uniform size. 
     
     
         4 . The insert of  claim 1 , wherein an element on the heel is largest and an element on the outer arch portion is smallest. 
     
     
         5 . The insert of  claim 1 , wherein the insert is reversible, with high-relief elements on one side and low-relief elements on the other side. 
     
     
         6 . The insert of  claim 1 , wherein the insert is provided as part of a pair. 
     
     
         7 . The insert of  claim 1 , wherein the insert comprises thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). 
     
     
         8 . The insert of  claim 1 , wherein the elements define a plurality of discrete elements of one material adhered to a second material providing a main body of the insert. 
     
     
         9 . The insert of  claim 1 , wherein the insert and the elements are monolithically formed of a single piece of material. 
     
     
         10 . A sports footwear system comprising:
 a shoe having an insole comprising a plurality of features for traction and padding; and   a sock comprising a cuff, a leg, an instep, a toe, a heel flap, and a sock sole, the sock sole comprising a ball-of-foot portion, an inner arch portion, an outer arch portion, and a heel portion, wherein the sock further comprises a plurality of elements for traction and padding disposed on the sock sole in an arrangement corresponding to an arrangement of the plurality of features of the insole of the shoe.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , further wherein each of the elements comprises an elastomer. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the features comprise the elastomer. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the elements and the features each comprise a cross-sectional profile designed to interlock with the other to prevent relative lateral motion between the sock sole and the shoe in at least one direction when the system is worn by a person. 
     
     
         14 . A method to improve an athlete's ability, the method comprising:
 obtaining, using a computer, stress pattern data exhibited by a sole of a foot of the athlete;   preparing, using the stress pattern data, a template comprising a location of stress exhibited by the sole; and   preparing footwear comprising at least one element for padding and traction disposed at the location of stress.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the template includes a location of maximal stress exhibited by the sole during an athletic performance. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the location of maximal stress is an area of about 1 cm 2  that includes a spot on the sole where at least 85% of a maximum stress is exhibited during a golf swing. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the footwear comprises at least one shoe insert. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the footwear comprises at least one sock. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the computer is provided by a kiosk that also includes a measuring platform for the athlete to stand on, wherein obtaining the stress pattern data includes making a measurement using the computer and the measuring platform. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein preparing the template comprises receiving data from a golfer obtained through the golfer's use of a personal computer and storing the data in a server computer.