Force-Mitigating Athletic Shoe

Abstract

An athlete in any athletic event generates forces on and subjects their lower extremities to forces which are unique to that athlete's mass, speed and strength. These forces are also affected by the composition of the playing field surface, shoe design and construction and other factors. It is possible to determine, according to these factors, the level of force above which injury to the athlete's lower extremities is inevitable—the pre-injury force threshold. This pre-injury force threshold is then used to design and build an athletic shoe which will provide a force-mitigating deformation induced by forces equal to the particular athlete's pre-injury force threshold. This deformation of the athletic shoe prevents injury to the athlete's lower extremities. This deformation may be induced by designing the sole of an athletic shoe with specifically engineered incised cut-outs or channels in the athletic shoe sole.

1 . A force-mitigating shoe designed to protect a wearer's lower extremity joints from injurious stress caused by an applied force equivalent to a pre-determined target, pre-injury force, said shoe comprising:
 an upper body and a force-mitigating sole attached to said upper body;   wherein said pre-determined target, pre-injury force comprises at least a pre-determined longitudinal target, pre-injury force; and   wherein said force-mitigating sole comprises:   at least a first layer of specifically engineered material;   wherein said first layer of material is specifically engineered to provide rigid translational stability to a wearer's foot when said first layer is subjected to forces below the level of said pre-determined longitudinal target, pre-injury force;   wherein said first layer of material is provided with at least one channel incised into said first layer to permit said first layer to become less rigid and temporarily deform in the same direction as said pre-determined longitudinal target, pre-injury force when said first layer of material is subjected to a force equivalent to said pre-determined longitudinal target, pre-injury force.   
     
     
         2 . The force-mitigating shoe of  claim 1 , wherein said first layer of specifically engineered material is specifically engineered such that after said first layer has deformed when subjected to an applied force equivalent to said pre-determined longitudinal target, pre-injury force and said applied force drops below the level of said pre-determined longitudinal target, pre-injury force, said first layer instantly returns to its original shape. 
     
     
         3 . The force-mitigating shoe according to  claim 2 , wherein said force-mitigating-sole comprises at least a second layer of material. 
     
     
         4 . The force-mitigating shoe according to  claim 3  wherein said second layer of material is the outer layer of said force-mitigating sole and said first layer of material is an inside layer of said force-mitigating sole such that said second layer of material covers said first layer of material. 
     
     
         5 . The force-mitigating shoe according to  claim 3  wherein said channel is elongated and follows a serpentine path back and forth across said first layer of material. 
     
     
         6 . The force-mitigating shoe according to  claim 3  wherein said first layer of material is the outer layer of said force-mitigating sole and said second layer of material is an inside layer of said force-mitigating sole such that said first layer of material covers said second layer of material. 
     
     
         7 . The force-mitigating shoe according to  claim 3  wherein said first layer of material comprises multiple elongated channels spaced along the surface of said first layer of material. 
     
     
         8 . The force-mitigating shoe according to  claim 7  wherein said multiple elongated channels are discontinuous. 
     
     
         9 . The force-mitigating shoe according to  claim 7  wherein said multiple elongated channels are chevron-shaped and spaced at irregular intervals along said first layer of material. 
     
     
         10 . The force-mitigating shoe according to  claim 3 , wherein said pre-determined target, pre-injury force further comprises a pre-determined lateral target, pre-injury force;
 wherein said second layer of material is specifically engineered to provide rigid lateral stability to a wearer's foot when said second layer is subjected to forces below the level of said pre-determined target, pre-injury force; and,   wherein said second layer of specifically engineered material is provided with at least one channel incised into said first layer to permit said first layer to become less rigid and temporarily deform in the same direction as said pre-determined lateral target, pre-injury force when said second layer of material is subjected to a force equivalent to said pre-determined lateral target, pre-injury force.   
     
     
         11 . The force-mitigating shoe of  claim 10 , wherein said second layer of specifically engineered material is specifically engineered such that after said second layer has deformed when subjected to an applied force equivalent to said pre-determined lateral target, pre-injury force and said applied force drops below the level of said pre-determined lateral target, pre-injury force, said second layer instantly returns to its original shape.