An athletic shoe having an inflatable tongue which can be slightly deflated or inflated after lacing up or otherwise closing the shoe to conform to the user's foot and the lacing to provide a more comfortable fit of the shoe. The tongue includes an inner bladder of an expandable foam material with a valve on the tongue fluidly communicating the exterior of the tongue with the interior of the bladder to selectively inflate and deflate the same upon introduction and release of air to the bladder.