Patent ID: 6968637

Claim:
An article of footwear that includes an upper and a sole structure attached to said upper, said sole structure including a stabilizing element comprising a plurality of semi-rigid and substantially parallel stabilizing members located in at least a midfoot region of said sole structure and extending in a longitudinal direction of said sole structure, said stabilizing members having a combined stiffness that limits non-axial, vertical flexion of said sole structure in at least said midfoot region, and at least a first of said stabilizing members being independently movable with respect to a second of said stabilizing members to permit rotation of a heel region of said sole structure relative to a forefoot region of said sole structure, said rotation being about a longitudinal axis of said sole structure, said stabilizing members being positioned in said article of footwear to extend from a calcaneus bone of an individual to metatarsal bones of the individual, and said stabilizing members extending into said forefoot region, said stabilizing members having a first stiffness in said forefoot region and a second stiffness in said midfoot region, said first stiffness being less than said second stiffness, and said stabilizing members thereby being structured to permit non-axial, vertical flexion of said sole structure in an area generally underlying joints connecting proximal phalanges with metatarsals of a wearer in said forefoot region.