Natural-cushioning, sock liner apparatus and method

A method of manufacturing a sock liner capable of and effective at shaping a fat pad existing as an under portion of a foot of a user upon placement under the foot of the user in footwear, the method comprising:

• providing a shape for a base layer capable of supporting a vertical force applied by an effective weight of the user during a gait cycle of the user in a longitudinal direction extending from an anterior side to a posterior side, in a transverse direction extending from a medial side to a lateral side, and in a vertical direction extending from a superior side to an inferior side;
• forming a base layer operable as a base extending longitudinally, continuously from a forefoot region of the base, capable of supporting a forefoot of the user, through a midfoot region, capable of supporting metatarsals and an arch of the foot of the user, to a heel region capable of supporting a heel of the user;
• and
• forming an intermediate layer, inferior to the base, capable of fitting between an insole of a shoe and the base layer, wherein the intermediate layer is formed of a material having a greater density than that of the base layer at a location of the base layer in a lateral, posterior portion of the heel region, which is therefore softer than the intermediate layer medially adjacent the base layer's lateral, posterior portion of the heel region, and comprising a plurality of projections, spaced apart in the longitudinal direction and extending laterally from exclusively a medial side of the base and having no projections from a lateral side of the base, and the plurality of projections are each formed of a material selected and configured to have a density, length, and spring constant, individually determined for each of the plurality of projections and the projections are configured in length transversely, width longitudinally, density, and material composition, individually, based on a type of foot strike of a user corresponding to the sock liner;
• wherein the plurality of projections includes
• a first projection of the sock liner, extending laterally, and exclusively from a medial side, capable of shaping the fat pad toward a lateral direction supporting a heel bone structure corresponding to the heel, and
• a second projection extending exclusively from a medial side of the base and laterally under the midfoot region and shaped to shape a midfoot portion of the fat pad in a lateral direction and under a midfoot bone structure of the user, corresponding to a lateral aspect of the midfoot region,
• wherein at least one of the first projection and the second projection extends beyond a longitudinal axis of the base.