With prosthetic limbs designed to look like a human foot, wearing a shoe is no problem. But the unique shape of those carbon fiber prosthetic blades worn by athletes obviously can’t accommodate a traditional shoe, so Nike invented a new one.
Called the Sole for obvious reasons, the minimal shoe is designed to slip onto Össur’s Flex-Run prosthetic blades which are used by competitive athletes, including triathlete Sarah Reinertsen who helped Nike co-develop the product. Like a full shoe, the Sole is composed of an outsole, midsole, and a specially designed material called Aeroply which allows the sole to grip the carbon fiber of the prosthetic blade while the athlete is running.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJTMe_Q2e70
Not only is the Sole designed to make running with a prosthetic limb more comfortable, but thanks to Nike’s expertise in this field the extra engineered grip will most certainly improve their performance on the track. And the Sole is available now, presumably from prosthetists’ offices who also carry Össur’s Flex-Run blades. [designboom]
