Article of footwear, elements thereof, and related methods of manufacturing

A sole assembly for an article of footwear, the sole assembly comprising:

• an outsole designed to engage with a ground surface;
• and
• a midsole designed to receive a bottom portion of a wearer's foot,
• wherein the outsole is divided into a first portion located at a forefoot portion of the sole assembly and a second portion located at an arch portion of the sole assembly, the first portion being affixed to the midsole and the second portion being detached from the midsole, and
• wherein the second portion is designed to contact the midsole in a compressed state due to an absorbed footwear load, and is designed to form a gap between the second portion and the midsole when the absorbed footwear load is removed.

A method of manufacturing an article of footwear, the article of footwear extending in a longitudinal, lateral, and vertical direction, the method comprising:

• positioning a shank designed to absorb footwear loads on top of an outsole designed to engage with a ground surface, the shank including a substantially planar base portion extending within a first plane in the longitudinal and lateral directions, a substantially planar ramp portion designed to absorb footwear loads in a vertical direction, the ramp portion extending, in an uncompressed state, within a second plane that is oblique to the first plane, wherein the base portion and the ramp portion are arranged such that they do not overlap in the vertical direction;
• positioning a midsole designed to receive a lower portion of a bottom portion of a user's foot on top of the shank and outsole;
• and
• securing the midsole to the outsole such that the shank is secured between the midsole and the outsole to form a sole assembly.