US shoe maker Nike worked with competitive amputee triathlete Sarah Reinertsen to develop a composite shoe sole that can be used with prosthetic specialist Össur’s Flex-Run prosthetic blade for amputee athletes.
The Nike Sole features an integrated layered sole including an outsole, midsole and thermal PU called Aeroply, made of recycled Nike Air Bag units, serving as a moderator between Nike Sole and the Flex-Run blade. Nine
nylon plastic tabs serve as fingers that wrap snugly around the Flex-Run carbon fibre blade for secure lock
down and easy on-off. A stretch rubber leash with tactile grip tab for easy placement over a medallion
fastener provides additional security.
The first prototype sole used by Reinertsen was made from a Nike Free 5.0 Trail outsole, which was
adhered to a plastic-based sleeve that would slide onto the blade. This was tweaked based on her feedback wear while testing the sole unit.(PRA)