Footwear sole and arch strapping system

A strapping system for footwear comprises a strap (1) that has a first end (3) connected to a first side of a heel portion (12) of footwear, passes over the instep of a foot, through a channel (31) extending through the midfoot of the footwear sole and back over the foot instep to thereby forming an X shape over the wearer's foot. The strap (1) has a second end (11) which may be adjustably connected to the second side of a heel portion (12) of a sole. The channel (31) is resilient and rigid so as to allow the strap freedom of movement during use: thereby achieving a dynamic and self adjusting strap fit. A footwear sole comprises relatively soft forefoot and heel portions with a more rigid shank portion therebetween to provide the sole with stiffness and torsional rigidity.