A process for creating a foot support, and the support created thereby. The foot support transfers the force of walking uniformly over the surface of the foot from the points of metatarsal contact through the arch to the heel. A mold prepared to match the foot in relaxed configuration is used to cast a positive impression representing the relaxed surface of the bottom of the foot. The positive impression is leveled horizontally by a level across the high points, or contact points on the bottom of the foot. A casting is made, matching this horizontal level; when cured the casting forms the insert of the invention.

A pad lined with a mixture of cinnamon, aloe wood and anise star powders having a pervious surface for contacting the skin and exposing the skin to emanations from the powders. The pad has a plurality of chambers which contain portions of the powder and maintain the even distribution of the powder as a lining in the pad. In one embodiment, The pad is an insole worn in footwear. In another embodiment, the pad is provided with bands for strapping the pad to various areas of the body.

A therapeutic arch support is described, more particularly intended for therapy of disorders of the circulation of the foot, for the treatment of venous insufficiency within the area of the leg or for bedding load-sensitive feet, especially for bedding the feet of diabetics suffering from foot detects. The arch support has a multi-layer construction with a highly resilient elastomer core layer standardized so as to be as soft as possible and a thin, top-side covering layer in the form of a smooth fibrous structure. On the side of the sole, a separate supporting layer of flexible, machinable and compression-resistant material may be provided. The therapeutic arch support is distinguished by effectively supporting the back flow circulation when walking on the one hand and, on the other, in that it, while being economical to manufacture, supports the foot apparatus that is optimally adapted to the respective individual requirements in such a way that, when walking, as normal as possible and, therewith, pain-free loading situations arise, even when the foot already suffers from an advanced muscular atrophy within the area of the metacarpal phalangeal joints due to an impaired capillary circulation.

Footwear having a removable spat-type feature. This feature allows the wearer to remove and replace the spat. The advantage is that it allows the use of different color, design or material spats to color coordinate the footwear with different colored clothes. This feature is of particular benefit when traveling since one pair of shoes with different colored saddles can accommodate a varied holiday wardrobe. In addition, other types of symbols or trademarks may be placed on the spat. The spat my depict indicia indicating membership to a club or other association. The spat and/or the upper may be provided with eyelets for securing the footwear on the wearer. The footwear has a first attachment media sewn into an upper at a level such that when the spat is placed on the upper, upper surfaces of the spat and the upper are substantially flush. The spat is provided with a second attachment media that corresponds to the first attachment media and covers substantially the entire spat so that when the spat is positioned on the upper, the spat is securely fastened thereto. Additional securing mechanisms may also be provided on the spat and upper.

An article of footwear contoured to the foot of a wearer is constructed by first making a rough sole element. The element is made by taking a negative impression of a wearer's foot while in a non-weight bearing neutral biomechanical alignment. The edges and undersurface of the rough sole element are then contoured to form a finished sole which acts to maintain the neutral biomechanical alignment while in use.