Nike Air Max

Cushioning in sneakers is essential to orthopedic health, which may be one of the reasons so many athletes continue to search for ever greater sources of impact absorption. For many years simple rubber was used, but the introduction of foam rubber soon supplanted the natural compound. Nike made waves throughout the world of athletics when it subsequently introduced the Air Max shoe in 1987. The principle behind the shoe was simple. Even foam rubber eventually loses its elasticity, becoming less of a cushion and more of a solid core over time. At Nike, some clever engineers applied the simple law of gas compression to create chambers that would act as cushions using nothing but air itself. Because the air never "wears out" and its elasticity could be controlled with the proper air bladder materials, the shoes would provide superior performance for far longer. The concept was a hit. Consumers loved the "windows" that let them peer inside the soles of the shoe, and athletes raved about the advantages of lightweight gas versus dense foam rubber.