In a boot or

shoe A shoe is an item of footwear intended to protect and comfort the human foot. They are often worn with a sock. Shoes are also used as an item of decoration and fashion. The design of shoes has varied enormously through time and from culture t ...

, the shank is a long, thin piece of material between the

insole A shoe is an item of footwear intended to protect and comfort the human foot. They are often worn with a sock. Shoes are also used as an item of decoration and fashion. The design of shoes has varied enormously through time and from culture to ...

and

outsole A shoe is an item of footwear intended to protect and comfort the human foot. They are often worn with a sock. Shoes are also used as an item of decoration and fashion. The design of shoes has varied enormously through time and from culture to ...

intended to support the foot and provide structure.

Background

Materials and design for shanks vary widely with the purpose of the footwear. The shank of a

pointe shoe A pointe shoe (, ), also called a ballet toe shoe or simply toe shoe, is a type of shoe worn by ballet dancers when performing pointe work. Pointe shoes were conceived in response to the desire for dancers to appear weightless and sylph-like an ...

used for ballet is made of flexible materials like leather, plastic, or

cardstock Card stock, also called cover stock and pasteboard, is paper that is thicker and more durable than normal writing and printing paper, but thinner and more flexible than other forms of paperboard. Card stock is often used for business cards, p ...

, and may have customized length, thickness, and stiffness. Heavy boots such as those used for construction or hiking have far more rigid and durable shanks, often using

steel Steel is an alloy made up of iron with added carbon to improve its strength and fracture resistance compared to other forms of iron. Many other elements may be present or added. Stainless steels that are corrosion- and oxidation-resistant ty ...

, though contemporary shanks are more commonly made of less heat-conductive materials such as

fiberglass Fiberglass (American English) or fibreglass (Commonwealth English) is a common type of fiber-reinforced plastic using glass fiber. The fibers may be randomly arranged, flattened into a sheet called a chopped strand mat, or woven into glass cloth ...

and

Kevlar Kevlar (para-aramid) is a strong, heat-resistant synthetic fiber, related to other aramids such as Nomex and Technora. Developed by Stephanie Kwolek at DuPont in 1965, the high-strength material was first used commercially in the early 1970s a ...

. These materials' rigid nature adds a protective element, helping shield feet from

puncture wounds ''Puncture Wounds'' (produced and released internationally as ''A Certain Justice'')Haynes, Stephanie"UFC: Cung Le's latest movie trailer: A Certain Justice" ''www.bloodyelbow.com'', published 12-12-2013. Retrieved 09-15-2015.Friel, Eoin"Trailer f ...

and stone bruises. The shank is crucial to the functionality of

mountaineering boots Mountaineering, expedition or high altitude boots are a type of footwear used in mountain climbing. They are designed specifically for moving over harsh terrain. Design Not to be confused with hiking boots, mountaineering boots are usually talle ...

, as they diminish the load incurred by the

feet The foot ( : feet) is an anatomical structure found in many vertebrates. It is the terminal portion of a limb which bears weight and allows locomotion. In many animals with feet, the foot is a separate organ at the terminal part of the leg made ...

and calves over the course of an ascent.

References

Footwear components {{clothing-stub