Foot Support Systems

Abstract

Foot support systems include sole structures, portions of sole structures, drop-in midsole components, insertable sole components (e.g., midsoles or insoles), or the like. The foot support systems may include a foam base member (e.g., made from a relatively thick foam material) and at least one fluid-filled bladder. The fluid-filled bladder(s) may include one or more interior fluid chambers. When multiple interior fluid chambers are present, they may be at substantially the same or different pressures. Additional aspects of this technology relate to articles of footwear that include such foot support systems, such as slides, sandals, and/or other types of footwear. Foot support systems and/or footwear in accordance with some examples of this technology may include systems for applying heating, cooling, and/or vibrational forces to a foot. Additional aspects of this technology relate to methods of applying heating, cooling, and/or vibrational forces to a foot (e.g., for recovery, injury treatment, etc.).

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A foot support system, comprising: 
 a foam base member including an upper-facing surface and a ground-facing surface located opposite the upper-facing surface, wherein the upper-facing surface includes a recess;   a fluid-filled bladder having a bottom surface at least partially received in the recess and a top surface located opposite the bottom surface, wherein at least one of the foam base member and/or the fluid-filled bladder provides a foot support surface of the foot support system; and   a thermal and/or vibration system configured to apply at least one of heat, cooling, and/or vibrational forces to a wearer’s foot when the wearer’s foot is supported by the foot support surface.   
     
     
         2 . The foot support system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a fabric element at least partially covering the top surface of the fluid-filled bladder. 
     
     
         3 . The foot support system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a foot-retaining element engaged with at least one of the foam base member or the fluid-filled bladder. 
     
     
         4 . The foot support system according to  claim 3 , wherein the foot-retaining element comprises a footwear upper. 
     
     
         5 . The foot support system according to  claim 3 , wherein the foot-retaining element extends across the top surface of the fluid-filled bladder at an instep region of the foot support system from a lateral side edge of the foot support system to a medial side edge of the foot support system. 
     
     
         6 . The foot support system according to  claim 5 , wherein the foot-retaining element comprises a strap, wherein a foot-receiving region is defined between the top surface of the fluid-filled bladder and the strap at the instep region of the foot support system. 
     
     
         7 . The foot support system according to  claim 3 , wherein at least a portion of the thermal and/or vibration system is engaged with the foot-retaining element. 
     
     
         8 . The foot support system according to  claim 7 , wherein the thermal and/or vibration system is a heating system configured to apply heat to an instep region of a wearer’s foot. 
     
     
         9 . The foot support system according to  claim 7 , wherein the thermal and/or vibration system is a cooling system configured to apply cooling to an instep region of a wearer’s foot. 
     
     
         10 . The foot support system according to  claim 7 , wherein at least a portion of the thermal and/or vibration system is removably mounted to the foot-retaining element. 
     
     
         11 . The foot support system according to  claim 3 , wherein the thermal and/or vibration system comprises a vibration system engaged with the foot-retaining element. 
     
     
         12 . The foot support system according to  claim 11 , wherein the vibration system is configured to apply vibrational forces to an instep region of a wearer’s foot. 
     
     
         13 . The foot support system according to  claim 11 , wherein at least a portion of the vibration system is removably mounted to the foot-retaining element. 
     
     
         14 . The foot support system according to  claim 3 , wherein the thermal and/or vibration system is a thermal and vibration system engaged with the foot-retaining element. 
     
     
         15 . The foot support system according to  claim 14 , wherein the thermal and vibration system is configured to apply heat and vibrational forces to an instep region of a wearer’s foot. 
     
     
         16 . The foot support system according to  claim 14 , wherein the thermal and vibration system is configured to apply cooling and vibrational forces to an instep region of a wearer’s foot. 
     
     
         17 . The foot support system according to  claim 14 , wherein the thermal and vibration system is configured to apply heating, cooling, and vibrational forces to an instep region of a wearer’s foot. 
     
     
         18 . The foot support system according to  claim 14 , wherein at least a portion of the thermal and vibration system is removably mounted to the foot-retaining element. 
     
     
         19 . The foot support system according to  claim 1 , wherein the fluid-filled bladder includes a first interior fluid chamber and a second interior fluid chamber that is in fluid isolation from the first interior fluid chamber, and wherein the first interior fluid chamber is at a different pressure from the second interior fluid chamber. 
     
     
         20 . An article of footwear, comprising:  
       a footwear upper; and 
       a foot support system engaged with the footwear upper, wherein the foot support system includes: (A) foam base member including an upper-facing surface and a ground-facing surface located opposite the upper-facing surface, wherein the upper-facing surface includes a recess; (B) a fluid-filled bladder having a bottom surface at least partially received in the recess and a top surface located opposite the bottom surface, wherein at least one of the foam base member and/or the fluid-filled bladder provides a foot support surface of the foot support system; and (C) a thermal and/or vibration system configured to apply at least one of heat, cooling, and/or vibrational forces to a wearer’s foot when the wearer’s foot is supported by the foot support surface, and wherein the article of footwear is formed as a slide or a sandal.