Patent Description:
Shoes must be made of durable materials to protect the foot and ensure a certain durability. In order for a shoe to maintain its shape and provide sufficient support for its wearer, the base material of the shoe must be relatively stiff. As to prevent the foot from being injured by this relatively hard base material when worn, padding and/or lining is used. The padding and/ or lining can extend uniformly inside an upper of the shoe. However, the lining and in particular the padding can be beneficial for a variety of additional requirements.

In general, a padding can be designed in the shoe depending on the intended purpose of the shoe. One purpose is to avoid pressure peaks and, thus, blisters and/or abrasions. Another purpose is an optimal distribution of the pressure of the foot in the shoe. Additionally, a padding can also have a corrective effect on foot position. In a medical application a padding can compensate foot malposition, which can otherwise lead to malposition of the entire musculoskeletal system.

Those considerations are especially important in the area of the ankle, because in this area a snug fit of the foot is very important, since too much freedom of movement of the foot in the shoe can lead to injuries. Furthermore, without a special support there is a high risk that the wearer twists his/her ankle. In addition, the ankle's rather pronounced protrusions on both sides of the leg caused by the ends of fibula and tibia and the absence of muscles and fat in this area quickly lead to abrasions without a proper cushioning.

Conventional shoes usually have symmetrical paddings around the ankles on both sides of the leg and use the same padding shape on the medial and lateral side, which does not correspond to the anatomical conditions of the foot. This leads to a reduced fit, in addition to an unpleasant wearing comfort, and in the worst case to a malposition, as the wearer tries to adapt his walking style to the not ideal fitting shoe.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a padding for a shoe, which provides an ideal fit around the ankle of a wearer based on the anatomical conditions.

<CIT> is directed to a sole-plate, insole insert, and footwear which correct the flatfoot, the talipes valgus, and the clubfoot.

<CIT> relates to J-bars that are located on either side of a boot above a heel. The J-bars also contain memory material and are located and shaped to extend beneath and to a rear of an ankle bone of the user.

<CIT> is directed to provide a boot upper having a lateral quarter and a medial quarter which are asymmetric and mostly rigid.

<CIT> relates to footwear having recesses for accommodating protrusions of the foot and/or one or more pads for reducing swelling of the ankle.

<CIT> refers to orthopedic insert for shoes, particularly for sports shoes.

<CIT> provides a boot with a rigid shell which surrounds the foot and is in contact with the foot only through selected, strategically located, pads which effectively suspend the foot in the shell.

The above-mentioned problem is solved by an upper for a shoe, comprising:
a medial padding located in a medial portion of a heel area of the upper, wherein the medial padding comprises a first shape, a lateral padding located in a lateral portion of the heel area of the upper, wherein the lateral padding comprises a second shape, wherein the first shape differs from the second shape, wherein the lateral padding is arranged closer to a sole of the shoe than the medial padding, and wherein the lateral padding is arranged closer to a rear of the shoe upper than the medial padding.

The medial and lateral shapes of the paddings correspond to the anatomical conditions of the ankle of a wearer. Since the medial and lateral side of the ankle have different anatomical conditions, the same shape would lead to a mismatch between the paddings and the ankle in general. A padding adapted to the respective anatomical condition of the medial or lateral side of the ankle ensures an ideal alignment between the padding and the ankle bone. Thereby, the space between the padding and the ankle bone can be minimized, which lead to a snug fit in the shoe. Through the snug fit, the freedom of movement of the foot can be significantly restricted in an area of the ankle, so that injuries and blisters in this area can be avoided or at least reduced. Further, a snug fit improves the transfer of energy of the foot in the shoe during stepping on and pushing off on a surface. In addition, the medial and lateral paddings are not arranged symmetrically. An asymmetric arrangement along the frontal and sagittal plane of the paddings further supports the stability of the musculoskeletal system of the wearer during walking which, for example, prevents a twisting in the direction of the medial or lateral side of the foot.

In the following, the arrangement of a padding closer to a sole of the shoe is denoted as lower level and the arrangement of being farther away from a sole of the shoe is denoted as higher level.

Especially in sports, like e.g., soccer, rugby or running, such a padding can be beneficial, since in such sports the risk of twisting the foot in the medial or lateral direction is high. Therefore, the upper is preferably an upper for a soccer shoe, an upper for a rugby shoe or an upper for a running shoe. Furthermore, a snug fit of the shoe and the ankle of a wearer is highly relevant for hiking or in sports where jumps are performed frequently like basketball. Thus, the upper may be an upper for a hiking shoe or an upper for a basketball shoe.

According to the present invention, a horizontal extension of the medial padding measured in a frontal plane, i.e., its thickness, may be smaller than a thickness of the lateral padding. Preferably, a difference of the thickness of the medial padding and the lateral padding may be at least <NUM>. The thickness of a padding may be measured in a direction normal to the sagittal plane of a finished shoe upper, e.g., as it is connected to a sole structure to form a shoe.

Different vertical thicknesses of the paddings correspond to the anatomical conditions of the ankle bone on the medial and lateral side of the shoe and can therefore further stabilize the foot along the frontal plane and the sagittal plane. A medial padding that would comprise a large thickness would severely restrict the freedom of movement of the foot in the direction of the medial side and would lead to an inappropriate foot position. In addition, the probability of twisting in the direction of the lateral side would be greatly increased. Therefore, with a larger thickness of the lateral padding in comparison to the medial padding, a stabilization in the frontal plane can be achieve. Further, the larger thickness of the lateral padding provides a snug fit such that injuries due to too much space between the lateral padding and the lateral ankle, which would involve an increased rubbing, can be prevented. Therefore, through the snug fit of the ankle, the movement of the foot forwards and backwards can be reduced as well, which leads to a stabilization of the foot in the sagittal plane. Furthermore, the lateral side of the ankle which is more exposed than the medial side can be further protected from objects hitting the lateral side of the shoe.

A horizontal extension of the lateral padding measured in a sagittal plane, i.e., its length, may be less than a length of the medial padding. Preferably, a difference of the length of the medial padding and the lateral padding is at least <NUM>. The length of a padding may be measured in a direction normal to the frontal plane of a finished shoe upper, e.g., as it is connected to a sole structure to form a shoe. Different lengths of the paddings correspond to the anatomical conditions of the ankle bones on the medial and lateral side of the shoe and can therefore further stabilize the foot in the frontal plane and in the sagittal plane. In particular, in the frontal plane, the foot can be stabilized such that a twisting in direction of the medial side can be prevented. Further, through the larger length of the medial padding, the medial ankle fits tighter to the medial padding, which can further reduce moving of the entire foot in the sagittal plane.

A vertical extension of the lateral padding measured in a frontal plane, i.e. its width, may be greater than a width of the medial padding measured in a frontal plane. Preferably, a difference of the width of the medial padding and the lateral padding may be at least <NUM>. In addition to the level difference of the lower lateral padding and the higher medial padding, the paddings may also comprise different widths. A width of a padding is defined as a distance from a bottom of the padding to a top of the same padding measured in a direction normal to the transversal plane of a finished shoe upper, e.g. as it is connected to a sole structure to form a shoe.

Different widths of the paddings correspond to the anatomical conditions of the ankle bone on the medial and lateral side of the shoe, the foot can be further stabilized in the frontal plane. In particular a twisting in the direction of the lateral side can be effectively minimized. Furthermore, the foot on the lateral side can be further supported by the bigger lateral padding. In addition, a more comfortable fit on the lateral and medial side can be achieved.

According to the invention, the volume of the medial padding differs from the volume of the lateral padding.

The volume of the medial padding is smaller than the volume of the lateral padding. Different volumes of the medial and lateral paddings can further stabilize the foot of a wearer. Through the smaller volume of the medial padding, the freedom of movement of the foot on the medial side and simultaneously a snug fit on the lateral side can be guaranteed. Through the greater volume of the lateral padding, the lateral side of the ankle, in particular the lateral malleolus, which is in danger of being injured by another player's foot or object, can be further protected.

The lateral padding may be arranged at least <NUM> closer to a sole of the shoe than the medial padding.

Through the asymmetrical level arrangement of the paddings normal to the transversal plane a further stabilization of the ankle along the frontal plane can be achieved.

The lateral padding may be arranged at least <NUM> closer to a rear of the shoe upper than the medial padding.

Through the asymmetrical arrangement along the sagittal plane, the lateral padding, which is closer to a rear of the shoe than the medial padding, can reduce the movement of the foot forwards and backwards in the shoe. Therefore, this configuration ensures a stabilization of the foot especially along the sagittal plane. Furthermore, through the arrangement of the medial padding more away from the heel than the lateral padding, a further stabilization and support on the medial side can be achieved.

The medial padding and/or the lateral padding may comprise a foam material. The use of foam material offers many advantages. Firstly, they can be made from almost any plastic, which provides a wide range of properties. They are also light and easy to process, which is beneficial for shoes. Due to their low density, moisture can be transported away from the foot. In addition, foams are perceived as pleasant and soft. Foams can also help to keep the body temperature inside the shoe.

The medial padding and/or the lateral padding may comprise a pod. A padding, which comprises a pod can provide a more efficient damping. Further, the haptic experience can be improved. Furthermore, a pod may include a greater restoring force than ordinary foam to compensate misalignment of the foot or to protect the lateral side of the ankle, in particular the lateral malleolus, from forces acting from outside.

The pod may be filled with a liquid and/or a gas. Depending on which kind of filling is used, the haptic perception and/or the restoring force may be varied. Further, depending on the filling material, the body heat of the foot can be maintained or conducted away. Furthermore, a filled pod can better adapt to the respective individual shape of the wearer's foot.

The present invention also relates to a shoe comprising an upper as described herein and a sole attached to the upper. The shoe provides a snug fitting on the ankle and further stabilizes the foot of the wearer along the frontal plane and sagittal plane.

The present invention also relates to a method of manufacturing an upper for a shoe, comprising the following steps: arranging a medial padding in a medial portion of a heel area of the upper, wherein the medial padding comprises a first shape, arranging a lateral padding in a lateral portion of the heel area of the upper, wherein the lateral padding comprises a second shape, wherein the first shape differs from the second shape, arranging the lateral padding closer to a sole of the shoe than the medial padding, and arranging the lateral padding closer to a rear of the shoe upper than the medial padding.

The advantages of an upper obtained by such method have been described above and will not be repeated here for reasons of brevity.

The method may further comprise the steps: providing a compression mold with one cavity and two plates to create the pod in a compression molding process, filling the pod, and sealing the pod. This allows to produce the pod by molding in one manufacturing step. Molding is a simple and fast way of manufacturing, as several single steps can be realized in one step.

The method may further comprise the steps: forming the medial padding and/or the lateral padding in an embossing process using a first die and a second die, wherein the shape of the bottom of the first die corresponds to the top of the first shape and/or the second shape, and wherein the top of second die comprises a recess, which corresponds to the shape of the bottom of the first shape and/or the second shape. In the embossing process the dies can be exchanged or modularly composed such that a more complex pattern can be easily created. Through this, a visual design, for example trademarks or logos can be applied to the pod. Moreover, the pods can be provided with a specific texture to improve its haptic perception.

The material of the first die and/or the second die may comprise magnesium and/or copper and/or brass. In the embossing process the use of metals or metal alloys like magnesium, copper and brass is advantageous, because they have a hardness that is sufficient to deform polymers. Furthermore, when applying the embossing process with heat these metals provide good thermal conduction.

The method may further comprise the steps: placing the material of the medial padding and/or the lateral padding between the first die and second die before performing the embossing process. Through the separate placing of the medial padding and/or lateral padding, different materials for the medial and lateral padding can be used. This provides a greater variety of the selected properties of the medial padding and the lateral padding.

The method may further comprise the steps: filling the material of the medial padding and/or the lateral padding between the first die and second die during performing the embossing press. Through the filling step the pod can be equipped with a plurality of desired properties. Since the filling is realized during the embossing press, the processing time and the manufacturing effort can be decreased.

The material may be filled through rollers. Rollers can advantageously enable assembly line production.

The embossing process may comprise the application of heat. By using heat, less pressure needs to be applied and the embossing process generally takes less time. In addition, the heat allows the pods to be sealed directly at the edges, which further reduces manufacturing steps and time.

In the following, exemplary embodiments of the invention are described with reference to the figures. These figures show:.

The invention is defined by an upper as disclosed in claim <NUM>, a shoe as disclosed in claim <NUM> and a method of manufacturing an upper as disclosed in claim <NUM>.

Possible embodiments of the present invention will be described in the following detailed description primarily with reference to a shoe. It is emphasized, that the present invention is not limited by these embodiments.

<FIG> shows an upper 10a for a shoe <NUM> according to the present invention. Further, <FIG> shows a foot <NUM> inserted in the shoe <NUM> in a back view and - for reasons of illustration - a foot <NUM> in a top view. The shoe <NUM> comprises a medial padding <NUM> on the medial side <NUM> of the shoe <NUM> and a lateral padding <NUM> on the lateral side <NUM> of the shoe <NUM>. The shape of the medial padding <NUM> and lateral padding <NUM> comprise a base shape of a semi-cylinder. However, in other embodiments the base shape of the medial padding and the lateral padding can vary fundamentally. For example, the base shape of the medial padding <NUM> can comprise a u-shape, a j-shape, a circular-shape, a torus-shape or any other suitable base shape, which is beneficial for the anatomical conditions of the medial side <NUM> of the ankle. Regardless of the shape of the medial padding <NUM>, the lateral padding <NUM> can comprise one of the following base shapes: a u-shape, a j-shape, a circular-shape, a torus-shape or any other suitable base shape which is beneficial for the anatomical conditions of the lateral side <NUM> of the ankle.

The medial padding <NUM> and the lateral padding <NUM> are arranged at different levels as illustrated by the line <NUM> connecting the medial padding <NUM> and the lateral padding <NUM>. This corresponds to the anatomical conditions of a human foot <NUM> and in particular to the anatomical conditions of the medial side <NUM> and the lateral side <NUM> of the ankle. Thereby, the lower end of the medial padding <NUM> is arranged at a level of <NUM> measured from the sole 10b of the shoe <NUM> and the lower end of the lateral padding <NUM> is arranged at a level of <NUM> measured from the sole of the shoe <NUM>. In other embodiments the levels of the paddings can vary depending on the shoe type, size, intended use, etc..

In other embodiments, the medial padding <NUM> is arranged at a higher level than the lateral padding <NUM> by at least <NUM>. This specific asymmetry, caused by the higher medial padding <NUM> and the lower lateral padding <NUM> as measured in a frontal plane, leads to a stabilization of the foot <NUM> in the frontal plane. A twisting of the foot <NUM>, in particular a twisting to the medial side <NUM> can be prevented by the arrangement of a higher medial padding <NUM>. Further, an arrangement of a lower lateral padding <NUM> can prevent the lateral side of the ankle <NUM> and the lateral side <NUM> of the ankle <NUM> of an athlete from injuries caused by another athlete's foot or object.

The medial padding <NUM> comprises a vertical extension 13b measured in a frontal plane, i.e. a thickness, of <NUM> and the lateral padding <NUM> comprises a thickness of <NUM>. In further embodiments the thicknesses 13b and 14b of the medial padding <NUM> and lateral padding <NUM> can vary depending on the shoe type. In some embodiments, the thickness 14b of the lateral padding <NUM> is greater than the thickness 13b of the medial padding <NUM> by at least <NUM>. This specific configuration of the medial padding <NUM> and the lateral padding <NUM> supports the foot and further provides a snug fit.

The paddings comprise a width, which is defined from the bottom of the padding to the top of the same padding normal to the transversal plane. In the exemplary embodiment of <FIG>, the medial padding <NUM> comprises a width 13a of <NUM> measured in the frontal plane and the lateral padding <NUM> comprises a width 14a of <NUM> measured in the frontal plane. In other embodiments the widths 13a, 14a of the medial padding <NUM> and lateral padding <NUM> can vary depending on the shoe type. In some embodiments, the width 14a of the lateral padding <NUM> is greater than the width 13a of the medial padding <NUM> by at least <NUM>. This specific width configuration of the medial padding <NUM> and the lateral padding <NUM> provides a further stabilization in the frontal plane of the foot <NUM>.

Further, as shown in <FIG>, the volume of the medial padding <NUM> is less than the volume of the lateral padding <NUM>. Through the different volumes the athlete gets a better support and stability perception, in particular while running.

Since a horizontal extension of the paddings in the sagittal plane, i.e., their lengths, are not shown in <FIG>, these aspects are described in <FIG> more in detail.

<FIG> shows an embodiment of an upper <NUM> for a soccer shoe. In other embodiments the upper <NUM> can be for example for a rugby shoe, a running shoe, a hiking shoe or a basketball shoe, etc. The upper <NUM> comprises a medial padding <NUM> on the medial side <NUM> and a lateral padding <NUM> on the lateral side <NUM> of the upper <NUM>. The medial padding <NUM> comprises a flat j-shape base shape and the lateral padding <NUM> comprises a flat u-shape base shape. Generally, the medial padding <NUM> and the lateral padding <NUM> can comprise different base shapes or the same base shapes and may comprise different shapes than those shown in <FIG>.

In the exemplary embodiment of <FIG>, the medial padding <NUM> is arranged at a distance of <NUM> from a rear 23d of the upper <NUM> along the sagittal plane and the lateral padding <NUM> is arranged at a distance of <NUM> from the rear 24d of the shoe <NUM> along the sagittal plane. In other embodiments the arrangement 23d, 24d of the medial padding <NUM> and lateral padding <NUM> can vary depending on the shoe type, size, intended use, etc. In some embodiments, the medial padding <NUM> is further away from the rear 23d of the upper <NUM> than the lateral padding <NUM>, 24d by at least <NUM>. This leads to an asymmetry, illustrated by the line <NUM> (corresponding to the asymmetry of the ankle as illustrated by line <NUM> in <FIG>), along the sagittal plane, which further prevents a twisting to the medial side <NUM> and too much moving of a foot in the upper <NUM> along the sagittal plane. Therefore, this specific asymmetry - as illustrated by the line <NUM> - along the sagittal plane further stabilizes the foot in the shoe in the frontal plane and the sagittal plane.

The medial padding <NUM> comprises a width 23a of <NUM> measured in the frontal plane and the lateral padding <NUM> comprises a width 24a of <NUM> measured in the frontal plane of the finished shoe upper, i.e., as it is connected to a sole to form a finished shoe. In the exemplary embodiment of <FIG>, the medial padding <NUM> is arranged at a level of <NUM> measured from the bottom border of the upper <NUM> and the lateral padding <NUM> is arranged at a level of <NUM> measured from the bottom border of the upper <NUM>. In this embodiment the medial padding <NUM> is closer to a collar portion of the upper <NUM> than the lateral padding <NUM>.

The medial padding <NUM> comprises a horizontal extension 23c of <NUM> measured in the sagittal plane and the lateral padding <NUM> comprises a horizontal extension 24c of <NUM> measured in the sagittal plane. A horizontal extension of a padding is also denoted as a length of a padding. In further embodiments the lengths 23c, 24c of the medial padding <NUM> and lateral padding <NUM> can vary depending on the shoe type, size, intended use, etc. In some embodiments, the length 23c of the medial padding <NUM> is greater than the length 24c of the lateral padding <NUM> by at least <NUM>. This specific length configuration of the upper <NUM> provides a further stabilization of the foot along the sagittal plane and the frontal plane. Therefore, a twisting to the medial side <NUM> and a moving forward and backwards of the foot in the finished upper <NUM> can be significantly reduced. Although, the medial padding <NUM> is longer 23c than the lateral padding <NUM>, 24c, the volume of the medial padding <NUM> is less than the volume of the lateral padding <NUM>.

Due to the two-dimensional top view, the thickness of the medial padding <NUM> and the lateral padding <NUM> is not shown in <FIG>. The asymmetry along the frontal plane is only recognizable due to the distance from the paddings to the collar portion. Therefore, these aspects are described more in detail with respect to <FIG>.

<FIG> shows part of a shoe <NUM> according to the present invention. The shoe <NUM> comprises on the medial side <NUM> a medial pod <NUM> and a lateral pod <NUM> on the lateral side <NUM>. The lateral pod <NUM> extends closer to the rear of the shoe <NUM> than the medial pod <NUM>. Further, the lateral pod <NUM> comprises a greater thickness 34b than the thickness 33b of the medial pod <NUM>. The medial pod <NUM> is located higher than the lateral pod <NUM> as measured from the sole of the shoe <NUM>. The medial and lateral pods <NUM>, <NUM> comprise foam material. In further embodiments the foam material can comprise memory foam. The size of the medial pod <NUM> and lateral pod <NUM> can vary depending on the shoe type and the intended use. In one embodiment, a running shoe is considered, where the medial pod <NUM> comprises a length 33c of <NUM> and the lateral pod <NUM> comprises a length 34c of <NUM>. Further, the medial pod <NUM> comprises a width 33a of <NUM> and the lateral pod <NUM> comprises a width 34a of <NUM>. Furthermore, the medial pod <NUM> comprises a thickness 33b of <NUM> and the lateral pod <NUM> comprises a thickness 34b of <NUM>. In further embodiments, where other shoe types are considered like for example basketball shoes or hiking shoes, the size can vary with respect to the size relations between the medial pod <NUM> and the lateral pod <NUM> according to the present invention.

The medial pod <NUM> and the lateral pod <NUM> are filled with foam. The foam is made of polyurethane (PUR) foam with a density of <NUM>/m<NUM>. In further embodiments the medial pod <NUM> and the lateral pod <NUM> can comprise a different hardness. In this embodiment, the PUR foam has high rebound properties, which improves the fitting and therefore the stability and the energy transmission of the foot in the shoe. In other embodiments, the pods can have less rebound and therefore greater memory properties, such that they can perfectly align to the ankle of a wearer, which improves the wearing comfort. In general, the dynamic interaction properties of the pods in contact with other objects can vary depending on the shoe type and the intended use. In further embodiments the medial pod <NUM> can comprise different memory and/ or rebound properties than the lateral pod <NUM>.

The medial pod <NUM> and the lateral pod <NUM> are manufactured in an emboss process with a first and a second die. The material of the dies can comprise copper, magnesium or brass depending on the preferred design of the pods. In further embodiments, the material of the first die can be different from the material of the second die. The bottom shape of the first die corresponds to the top of the shape of the medial pod <NUM> or the lateral pod <NUM>. The top surface of the second die has a recess, which corresponds to the shape of the bottom of the medial pod <NUM> and/or lateral pod <NUM>. The first die and the second die are customized with the intended design following the exact size of the foam pods. In this embodiment, the pods are filled with PUR foam. Therefore, the PUR foam is placed between the first and second die and subsequently the emboss process is performed by applying a heat of <NUM> degrees Celsius. Thereby, a baker between the first and second die and the foam is used, which is composed of laminated velvetex.

An additional layer may be used to cover the PUR foam. In the preferred embodiment, the additional layer comprises a soft haptic material. In other embodiments, the additional layer may comprise a material with a grippy and/or rough surface, having e.g. fibers oriented in one direction, preferably toward the bottom of the shoe. This fiber configuration of the material of the layer further increases the grip between the material and a wearer's socks and further minimizes the movement of the foot, in particular the heel, in the shoe. In the preferred embodiment, the additional layer is only placed on one side of the foam in the emboss process, namely the side, which is in direct contact with a foot of the wearer. In further embodiments, the additional layer can also be placed on the side which will be attached to the upper of the shoe. In other embodiments, the material of the additional layer can vary depending on which side of the shoe upper it is used.

In further embodiments, other materials than PUR foam can be used as far the material is suitable to form a <NUM>-dimensional structure. The material to be pressed can be placed between the first die and second die before the emboss process is applied, which is denoted as "clamshell press". In further embodiments, the material can also be filled during the emboss process, wherein the material is filled in the press and comes out on the other side, denoted as "straight stamp press". If the filling of the material is realized with rollers, then the process is denoted as "roll press". After finishing the emboss process, the manufactured medial pod <NUM> and lateral pod <NUM> are attached to the shoe <NUM>.

In another embodiment, the pods can be filled with a liquid and/ or gas. This is realized in a different manufacturing process. A vacuum forming machine using a top mold and a bottom mold with a cavity is provided. Thereby, the shape of the pod to be manufactured corresponds to the cavity of the bottom mold, which is preferably a three-dimensional semi-circle. In further embodiments the shape may comprise any suitable shape to support and hug the ankle, like, for example, a three-dimensional j-shape, three-dimensional u-shape, a torus shape, etc. In the first step, a first sheet of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) with a thickness of <NUM> is placed on top of the bottom mold. In further embodiments, other materials with other thicknesses can be used, depending on the shoe type and purposes of the pods. In the second step, heat is applied until the first sheet reaches a suitable forming temperature and becomes pliable. In the third step, the pliable first sheet is exposed to vacuum.

Claim 1:
An upper (10a; <NUM>) for a shoe (<NUM>), comprising:
a) a medial padding (<NUM>; <NUM>) located in a medial portion of a heel area of the upper (10a; <NUM>), wherein the medial padding (<NUM>; <NUM>) comprises a first shape;
b) a lateral padding (<NUM>; <NUM>) located in a lateral portion of the heel area of the upper (10a; <NUM>), wherein the lateral padding (<NUM>; <NUM>) comprises a second shape;
c) wherein the first shape differs from the second shape,
d) characterised in that the lateral padding (<NUM>; <NUM>) is arranged closer to a sole (10b) of the shoe (<NUM>) than the medial padding (<NUM>; <NUM>),
e) wherein the lateral padding (<NUM>; <NUM>) is arranged closer to a rear of the shoe (<NUM>) upper (10a; <NUM>) than the medial padding (<NUM>; <NUM>), and
f) wherein the volume of the medial padding (<NUM>; <NUM>) differs from the volume of the lateral padding (<NUM>; <NUM>), and wherein the volume of the medial padding (<NUM>; <NUM>) is smaller than the volume of the lateral padding (<NUM>; <NUM>).