A combined heel protector and arch support, comprising: a first layered arch support having a plurality of male attachment means on one of its surfaces; a second layered arch support, similar in dimension to said first arch support, having a plurality of female attachment means on one of its surfaces, in which the female means are complementary to said male means and are snapped thereon in order to form a two-tiered arch support in which said first and second supports are supported by a slight transverse displacement which is defined by the physical closeness of the mate between said male and female attachment means; and a padded heel protector adapted to enclose said first and second supports about every surface of the supports except the surface of the first support which faces the heel of a shoe wearer, whereby the above combination may be easily inserted into the housing of a conventional shoe for the obtainment of added comfort and arch support by the wearer.
A supinator strap integrated with an athletic shoe, sock, or brace for preventing foot and ankle injuries. In the shoe, the supinator strap includes an arch support band that extends from the bottom of the shoe, just under the arch area, around the inner side of the shoe and over the top of the shoe, toward the outer side of the shoe. The supinator strap further includes a rear ankle support band that extends laterally from the arch support band and wraps from the inner side of the shoe, around the rear ankle/heel and toward the outer side of the shoe. In a preferred embodiment, both the foot and rear ankle support band and the arch support band are fully adjustable. The supinator strap provides additional support and stability to the foot and ankle when the shoe is worn, thereby helping to prevent injuries caused by excessive supination or pronation of the foot and ankle. A bridge support helps cushion the foot. An ankle stabilizing strap helps prevent ankle injuries by stabilizing the forefoot, heel, and ankle. In the sock and the brace, the supinator strap operates in a similar manner.
