Nike develops performance rubber sole for prosthetic running blades

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Amputee triathlete Sarah Reinertsen, who helped design the Nike Sole

The Nike Sole is an attachment designed for use with Ossur's Flex-Run carbon fiber running blades

The Nike Sole is made up of an outsole, midsole, thermal plastic layer, and gripping tabs

Amputee triathlete Sarah Reinertsen, who helped design the Nike Sole

The Nike Sole is an attachment designed for use with Ossur's Flex-Run carbon fiber running blades

Sarah Reinertsen and Nike's Tobie Hatfield

The Nike Sole for Flex-Run

The Nike Sole is an attachment designed for use with Ossur's Flex-Run carbon fiber running blades

Article Summary

By now, probably just about everyone has seen amazing footage of single- or double-amputee runners, using Össur's Flex-Run carbon fiber running blades. The springy substitutes for legs allow their users to run so fast and naturally, that there is currently a debate over whether or not it would be fair to allow athletes using them to compete against non-amputees. Carbon fiber isn't exactly known for its grippy qualities, however, so Nike has been working with one-legged triathlete Sarah Reinertsen, to create the equivalent of a shoe that could be used with the blades. The result is the Nike Sole.

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