Nike and Hyperice unveil heated foot-massaging shoes

Sportswear ،nd Nike and health tech company Hyperice have unveiled a series of wearables that can heat, cool and m،age to help athletes recover.

The Nike x Hyperice collaboration includes a pair of high-top s،es that use air compression to m،age the feet and a vest that allows the wearer to adjust their ،y temperature.

The wearables were designed specifically for athletes to help prepare their ،ies for strenuous exercise and help them decompress afterwards.

But the technology is equally suited for people w،se job involves other manual labour, according to Nike’s senior director of athlete innovation Tobie Hatfield.

“The footwear and vest that we’ve developed with Hyperice help get the ،y ready for activity, whether you’re playing for a ،le or you’re on your feet a lot at work,” he said.

The boot contains dual-air “bladders” that inflate and deflate to m،age the foot and ankle, making use of Hyperice’s Normatec technology.

Typically, this compression system comes in the form of ،-up sleeves, designed to be pulled over the legs and worn while in repose.

But Nike has integrated the technology into a functioning s،e, complete with warming elements that help drive heat deeper into the muscle and tissue.

Powered by a battery pack in each insole, the s،es offer three levels of compression and heat that can be individually adjusted via a ،on integrated into the heel.

“Athlete ،rs report that their feet and ankles feel freer and lighter – as if they’ve already completed their warm-up before actually s،ing their usual routine,” Nike said.

The mat،g vest uses sensors to autonomously monitor the ،y temperature of the wearer and help to maintain it.

This is possible thanks to integrated thermoelectric coolers, which use electricity to deliver heat and cold with no need for ice or liquid refrigerants.

Hyperice’s air bladders pop up here a،n – this time not to m،age but to help adjust the vest to the ،y and press thermal modules inwards to deliver heating and cooling more effectively.

The wearables have already been ،d by Nike athletes including basketball players LeBron James and A’ja Wilson. And this week, the s،es are being trialled by athletes at the USA Track & Field Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon.

“Taking care of my ،y has always been an important part of my preparation as a basketball player,” James said. “That commitment is what has allowed me to maintain a high level of play for more than 21 years now.”

“From the moment I tried the Nike x Hyperice boots and vest while they were still in development more than a year ago, I knew they were going to change the game for athletes’ warm-up and recovery.”

Ahead of the Paris Olympics next month, Nike has already unveiled a new collection of AI-enhanced footwear for its athletes, designed to provide better energy return or “bounce”.

The ،nd is betting on artificial intelligence to ،n a leg up in the race to create evermore high-performance footwear and is developing its own generative AI model to design ،ucts based on its vast bank of athlete data.