Patent ID: 7549237

Claim:
Footwear comprising: an upper; a rigid orthotic plate secured with respect to said upper, said rigid orthotic plate being rigid and extending from a metatarsal region of said footwear to a heel area of said footwear; a front section associated with said rigid orthotic plate extending from said metatarsal region to a toe region, said front section being bendable with respect to said rigid orthotic plate at said metatarsal region of said footwear; padding having a top side and a bottom side, wherein said top side is positioned adjacent a lower surface of said rigid orthotic plate; and a rigid bottom plate having an upper side and a lower side, wherein said upper side is adjacent said bottom side of said padding, wherein only said padding is positioned between said rigid orthotic plate and said rigid bottom plate, said padding forms a shock absorbing layer to isolate an entirety of said rigid orthotic plate from said rigid bottom plate, thereby preventing contact between said rigid orthotic plate and said rigid bottom plate.