Footwear with enhanced impact protection

Footwear providing enhanced protection against extreme landing impacts to the feet of a wearer, comprising:

• an upper portion defining a compliant enclosure for at least an upper portion of the wearer's foot;
• and,
• a sole portion attached to a lower margin of the upper portion, the sole portion including:
• an outsole comprising a strong, resilient, wear-resistant material and having an upper surface defining a support surface for the sole of the wearer's foot;
• an elastomeric mid-sole disposed on the upper surface of the outsole, the mid-sole having a first damping coefficient, a heel portion and a forefoot portion;
• a resilient, doughnut-shaped heel cushion occupying substantially all of the heel portion of the mid-sole, the heel cushion having a generally central opening, a second damping coefficient, and respective upper and lower surfaces that are generally flush with respective upper and lower surfaces of the mid-sole;
• and,
• a first, generally flat pad of solid gel disposed in the opening of the cushion such that an upper surface of the pad is recessed a selected distance below the upper surface of the cushion, the first pad having a third damping coefficient that is substantially greater than either the first or the second damping coefficients.