Shoe Characteristics Research Articles

Influence of Shoe Characteristics on the Development of Valgus Foot in Children.

For thousands of years, shoes have been worn to protect the feet from injury, and the proper choice and use of footwear are directly relevant to foot health, especially that of children. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between shoe-related factors (type and frequency of use) and the prevalence of valgus foot in children. This analytical cross-sectional observational study was carried out on a population of children in the first, second or third year of primary education, to analyzing the frequency and type of shoes worn, and to determining the presence or not of valgus foot. The sample consisted of 132 children (of 642 potential subjects), with an average age of 7.53 years (Standard Deviation (SD) 0.80), which was composed of 61 boys (46.2%) and 71 girls (53.8%). The overall prevalence of valgus foot was 45.5% (n = 60). The use of boots 2–5 days a week was significantly associated, in both sexes, with a lower prevalence of valgus in the left foot (30.5%, p = 0.009). The use of boots could be associated with a lower presence of valgus, depending on the frequency of wear.

An investigation into the effects of, and interaction between, heel height and shoe upper stiffness on plantar pressure and comfort

High heeled shoes remain popular; nevertheless it is not clear what influence manipulating characteristics of this footwear has on their functioning. It is accepted that shoe features other than heel height can affect plantar pressures. However, few investigations have compared such features, and none have compared the influence of modifying upper material stiffness, whilst systematically increasing heel height. A firm understanding of the interactions of footwear properties is essential to ensure that footwear designers can optimise design for the comfort and health of the wearer. This paper investigates a feature that is known to reduce comfort (heel height) and a feature that is easy to change without affecting aesthetics (material stiffness) to better understand the effects of their interaction on plantar pressure and comfort. Sixteen female participants with experience wearing high heels wore a range of shoes with five effective heel heights (35–75 mm) and two upper materials (with different stiffness). In-shoe plantar pressure was recorded and participants completed a comfort questionnaire. Increasing heel height increased plantar pressure under the metatarsal heads, while reducing pressure in the hallux and heel. Higher heel heights also lead to increased discomfort, particularly in the toes where discomfort increased 154.3% from the 35 to 75 mm heels. Upper stiffness did not affect plantar pressure. However, stiffer uppers significantly increased reported discomfort, most notably on top of the foot (108.6%), the back of the heel (87.7%), the overall width (99%) and the overall comfort (100.7%). Significant interaction effects between heel height and upper material existed for comfort questionnaire data. Manipulating heel height alters plantar pressure and comfort, and choice of upper material is paramount to achieving wearer comfort in heels.

The impact of shoe flexibility on gait, pressure and muscle activity of young children. A systematic review

BackgroundThere is limited evidence of shoe impact in younger children, particularly in the context of immature gait patterns. It is unclear if the impact from shoes in younger children is similar to what has been seen in older children. This systematic review aims to identify any impact of shoe features on younger children’s gait, and if there are any differences between shoe sole flexibility compared to barefoot.MethodsStudy inclusion criteria included: typically developing children aged ≤6 years; comparison of barefoot and shod conditions (walking and/or running) with shoe features or style of shoe described; sample size > 1. Novelty types of footwear were excluded, as was any mention of in shoe support or modifications. Studies were located from six databases. Study methodology was assessed using the McMasters critical review form. Sample size weighted standardized mean differences (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated.ResultsFour studies were included. Participant age ranged from 15.2 to 78.7 months, with 262 participants across all studies. All studies had limited methodological bias based on their design type. Compared to barefoot walking, shoes increased velocity, step time and step length. Shod walking decreased cadence. Peak plantar pressure was generally lower in the stiff shoe design and there was a higher peak plantar pressure in the Ultraflex shoes. No studies were found investigating muscle activation.ConclusionsShoes affect younger children’s gait in spatiotemporal gait aspects, similar to those seen in older children. There is limited evidence on effects of particular shoe features such as sole hardness, on gait, and no evidence of any changes in muscle activation patterns. Further research is required to evaluate the impact of different types of shoe and shoe features in this population to provide clinical advice on the type of shoe that is appropriate in this age group.

Does an increase in energy return and/or longitudinal bending stiffness shoe features reduce the energetic cost of running?

This study focused on the effects of shoe energy return and shoe longitudinal bending stiffness on the energetic cost and biomechanics of running. The energetic cost of running and biomechanical variables altering running economy (ground contact times, stride frequency, vertical and leg stiffness, ground reaction force impulses, alignment between the resultant ground reaction force and the leg) were measured for nineteen male recreational runners. Participants ran overground under their ventilatory anaerobic threshold (10.8 ± 1.1kmh-1 on average) using four shoe prototypes with features combining low or high magnitudes of energy return and longitudinal bending stiffness. Neither the energy return, nor the longitudinal bending stiffness, or the interaction of these shoe features altered the energetic cost of running. High energy return shoes induced significant increased ground contact time from 274.5 ± 18.3 to 277.1 ± 18.7ms, and significant decreased stride frequency from 1.34 ± 0.05 to 1.33 ± 0.05Hz. High bending stiffness shoes induced significant increased ground contact time from 273.8 ± 18.2 to 277.9 ± 18.7ms, significant increased vertical stiffness from 23.2 ± 3.4 to 23.8 ± 3.0kNm-1, and significant decreased net vertical impulse from 245.4 ± 17.2 to 241.7 ± 17.5BWms. Increased energy return and longitudinal bending stiffness induced subtle changes in the running biomechanics, but did not induce any decrease in the energetic cost of running.

Perception of running shoe cushioning: wear test vs. controlled experiment

Footwear developers employ feedback from human wear testers to assess the functionality and acceptability of their products. However, there is often poor correspondence between perceptions reported in wear tests and in vitro measurements of running shoe characteristics. This study evaluated runners’ ability to perceive differences in running shoe cushioning under controlled conditions and compared those results with wear test outcomes. Five running shoe conditions were chosen based on the ASTM F1976 impact test results (g-max) to span a typical range of cushioning scores with g-max differences among shoes distributed between 0.9 and 6.5 g. Samples of each shoe condition were used by an independent group of wear testers for about one month and 160 km of running. They provided ratings of various shoe attributes, including ‘heel cushioning’ and ‘forefoot cushioning’, using a 1–7 Likert-type scale. In a laboratory study, 50 healthy runners evaluated the same five shoe conditions and ranked them from ‘least cushioned’ to ‘most cushioned’. For each of the 10 possible pair-wise shoe comparisons, the probability that subjects would rank the shoes consistently with g-max scores was calculated as a function of the difference in g-max between shoes. There were no significant differences in wear test cushioning ratings among the four most cushioned shoes. However, using the ranking protocol, subjects were able to detect differences in cushioning with a ‘least noticeable difference’ of 1.4 g and demonstrated increasing sensitivity with larger difference magnitudes. In contrast to a typical wear test protocol, the laboratory test demonstrated that runners are able to perceive cushioning differences of sufficient magnitude, consistent with mechanical test results, under appropriately controlled conditions.

Guess your size: A hybrid model for footwear size recommendation

In recent years, online shopping for footwear has rapidly increased. However, the user experience has not been satisfactory because of the size mismatch problem, i.e., customers often fail to choose the right size online. Traditional size selection schemes, including those suggesting that users select footwear sizes according to their past experiences or those based on simple measurements, usually result in a high return rate of up to 35%. The limitation of the traditional size selection schemes is that they fail to consider (1) the characteristics of foot shapes and (2) the preferences of individual customers. In this paper, we propose a size recommendation framework that is jointly based on 3D (foot and last) features and user preference. First, we report measurement studies of foot shape characteristics based on foot data for 10 K individuals. Our findings reveal that users have diverse foot shapes and different personal preferences regarding size matching. Second, based on our measurement insights, we design a size recommendation model that jointly considers 3D foot models, shoe characteristics and user preferences. We also provide a predictive model that predicts comfort levels for particular parts of the foot based on the given size recommendation. Finally, our data-driven experiments show that the proposed size recommendation improves the size selection accuracy to 92%, which is a 22% improvement compared to conventional solutions.

Footwear choices for painful feet \u2013 an observational study exploring footwear and foot problems in women

BackgroundA high percentage of the population report footwear related foot pain, yet there is limited research on the effect footwear has on the development of this pain. The aim of this study was to establish whether footwear purchased by patients have an association with foot pain and what choices determined a purchase decision.MethodsShape and size measurements of the dominant foot and footwear (length and width) were taken from 67 female participants who routinely received podiatric treatment. Participants were also asked to complete a short questionnaire to rate the shoe characteristics, emotions whilst wearing and reasons for the purchase.ResultsResults highlighted a high prevalence of structural foot pathology for those over 61 who preferred slip on shoes. This group also wore shoes that were significantly narrower than their feet with width difference correlating to the presence of Hallux Abductovarus (HAV). In addition, results indicate that individual footwear advice is more important than previously thought, as it is clear that choice of footwear worn to podiatry appointments are not always worn on a daily basis.ConclusionsThis study emphasises that the width of the shoe is an important part of fit, highlighting the need for patient specific footwear assessment and education for behaviour changes.

Women perception of shoe cushioning as a function of mechanical properties of footwear using a sensory trained panel method

Most of the studies investigated footwear cushioning through the quantification of impact load or running-related injuries. Few studies focused on users’ perception of footwear cushioning. Users’ perception is usually investigated in other domains like food and consumer products using the ‘Sensory Trained Panel’ method. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between women's perception of shoe cushioning and mechanical properties of running shoes using a sensory trained panel approach. An initial mechanical characterization enabled to select 10 shoes having a wide range of mechanical properties. Ten recreational women runners were trained to become a ‘Sensory Trained Panel.’ First, simple vocabulary and gestures were highlighted to make shoe feature definition explicit and understood by all participants. Then, participants were trained to become discriminant, repeatable and in consensus for the rating of a given shoe feature. Finally, after running with a shoe model, participants rated the shoe feature intensity on a linear scale. The order of shoe models was balanced to avoid any effect of rank, sequence and fatigue. Each footwear model was available in four copies to limit alterations of shoe properties due to repetitive use. All the shoe models were blinded to avoid any effect of shoe design on the sensory evaluation. ‘Heel penetration’ was the explicit shoe feature understood by all participants to describe shoe cushioning. Panel performances were statistically verified. A significant correlation was highlighted and enabled to predict users’ perception of heel penetration based on shoe absolute maximal compression (r = 0.86, p = 6.9 × 10−4). The sensory trained panel method seemed powerful to quantify the perception of shoe features and could be used for other purposes than correlation between sensory and mechanical data.

New Running Shoe Reduces the Energetic Cost of Running

Running shoe features (low mass, cushioning, midsole bending stiffness) have been shown to individually reduce the energetic cost of running. Recently, energetic cost has been directly linked to time-trial performance. PURPOSE: To quantify the energetic cost of running in three marathon racing shoes: a prototype and two shoes currently available to runners. METHODS: 18 sub-elite runners (sub-31 min 10km at altitude or equivalent; altitude VO2max: 72.1±3.4 ml O2/kg/min) ran six 5 min trials (3 shoes × 2 replicates) in: a prototype shoe (NP), and two established marathon shoes (NS6) and (AB2), all equilibrated to 250g/shoe (the mass of AB2, size 10) during three separate sessions - 14, 16 and 18 km/hr. The order of the shoe conditions within a session and the session speed order were pseudo-randomized, mirrored and counterbalanced. The NP shoe has a novel, lightweight and highly resilient midsole and a carbon fiber plate that stiffens the shoe in longitudinal bending. We measured submaximal VO2 and VCO2 during min 3-5 and averaged metabolic rate (W/kg) for the 2 trials in each shoe model. Blood [La] measured after the last trial of each session and RER indicated running energetics were at steady-state (<3.0 mmol/L and <0.91, respectively). We compared the 3 shoes over 3 speeds using a two-way ANOVA with repeated measures. RESULTS: A significant main effect for shoe (P<0.0001) indicated the NP shoes required 4.0±1.3% (mean±SD) less energy than the NS6 and AB2 shoes (NP vs. NS6: P<0.0001; NP vs. AB2: P<0.0001), which had similar metabolic costs (NS6 vs. AB2: P=0.34): NP 16.45±0.89, NS6 17.16±0.92 and AB2 17.14±0.97 W/kg averaged across 3 speeds. Although the shoe × speed interaction effect was significant (P=0.0005), post-hoc analyses suggest that relative percent differences between shoes were similar at the 3 running speeds (all P>0.56). CONCLUSIONS: The new shoe reduces the cost of running by 4.0% as compared to two other established marathon racing shoes. This study was supported by Nike Inc. EF and GL are employees of Nike Inc., RK is a paid consultant to Nike Inc.

Effects of racetrack surface and nail placement on movement between heels of the hoof and horseshoes of racehorses.

OBJECTIVE To determine the effects of racetrack surface and shoe characteristics on formation of wear grooves in the horseshoes of racehorses. SAMPLES 1,121 horseshoes from 242 Thoroughbred racehorses collected during routine horseshoeing procedures at 4 racetracks with dirt or synthetic surfaces. PROCEDURES Data for 1,014 horseshoes from 233 racehorses were analyzed. Horseshoes were photographed, and length and width of grooves formed at the heels of the solar surface of horseshoes were measured on the photographs. Effects of racetrack, racetrack surface, and shoe characteristics (eg, shoe size, clips, and nails) on length and width of grooves were assessed by use of a mixed-model anova. RESULTS Length and width of wear grooves differed significantly on the basis of racetrack, nail placement, and limb side (left vs right). Differences in groove dimensions between types of racetrack surface (dirt vs synthetic) were less apparent than differences among racetracks. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Measurements of the length and width of wear grooves in the horseshoes of racehorses may be useful for understanding some aspects of hoof interactions with various racetrack surfaces. Interpretation of differences in wear grooves for various racetrack surfaces will likely require quantitation of the mechanical behavior of the surfaces.

A systematic review of the effect of foot orthoses and shoe characteristics on balance in healthy older subjects

Foot orthoses are used to optimize lower extremity function and can improve postural stability by enhancing the afferent somatosensory feedback available to the central nervous system. The aim of this review was to evaluate the effect of foot orthoses on balance control in older subjects. Systematic review. The search strategy was based on the Population Intervention Comparison Outcome method. A search was performed in PubMed, Science Direct, Google Scholar, and ISI Web of Knowledge databases by using selected keywords. A total of 22 articles were selected for final evaluation. The results demonstrated that older people should be advised to wear thin, hard-soled footwear with high collars to reduce the risk of falling. The findings for insoles demonstrated an increase in balance control via vibratory or magnetic insoles, but textured insoles do not appear to be beneficial for balance improvement. Foot orthoses improve postural stability via a somatosensory or biomechanical effect. Use of footwear with the proper features can be an appropriate intervention in order to increase the balance in the older population and reduce falls. Loss of balance is an important factor in increasing the risk of falling in older subjects. Foot orthoses can improve functional measures of stability in older adults. In this review, results from studies suggest a number of recommendations regarding the optimal footwear for older people to reduce the risk of falling.

Five Key Characteristics to Consider when Purchasing a Running Shoe.

The sheer number of running shoe options and the amount of information pertaining to shoe wear and musculoskeletal health are overwhelming. Although there is no “perfect” shoe for all runners, emerging evidence suggests that particular shoe characteristics may help foster healthy running patterns (3). The shoe should protect the runner from injury and allow the feet to do the work of controlling the motion while in stance phase of the gait cycle. Five key characteristics of shoes that promote healthy running motion are as follows: 1) Minimal heel-to-toe drop (this refers to the thickness difference between the heel cushion and the toe cushion; shoes with 6 mm or less are considered “minimal”); 2) Neutral (shoes do not contain stability or motion control elements that interfere with normal foot motion) (1); 3) Relatively light weight (shoes with weights >8 to 10 oz for women and men’s sizes of 8 to 9, respectively); 4) Wide toe box (the forefoot of the shoe should allow the runner to wiggle toes); and 5) Cushioning (excessive cushioning permits extra motion of the lower extremity during the stance phase and dampens the proprioceptive feedback, whereas too little cushioning may be uncomfortable if the runner is not used to running with minimal cushion). To test whether the shoe is too narrow, remove the shoe insert and step on it. If the foot hangs over the side of the insert, the shoe is too narrow. Running shoes should facilitate soft foot strikes, joint flexion in the lower extremity joints (2), controlled motion, and foot strength. These shoe characteristics also may facilitate muscle recruitment from lower body muscles that are unaccustomed to loading. Therefore, a slow transition from current shoes to shoes described here may be required to prevent excessive muscle soreness and foot discomfort.

Acute effect of different minimalist shoes on foot strike pattern and kinematics in rearfoot strikers during running

Despite the growing interest in minimalist shoes, no studies have compared the efficacy of different types of minimalist shoe models in reproducing barefoot running patterns and in eliciting biomechanical changes that make them differ from standard cushioned running shoes. The aim of this study was to investigate the acute effects of different footwear models, marketed as “minimalist” by their manufacturer, on running biomechanics. Six running shoes marketed as barefoot/minimalist models, a standard cushioned shoe and the barefoot condition were tested. Foot–/shoe–ground pressure and three-dimensional lower limb kinematics were measured in experienced rearfoot strike runners while they were running at 3.33 m · s−1 on an instrumented treadmill. Physical and mechanical characteristics of shoes (mass, heel and forefoot sole thickness, shock absorption and flexibility) were measured with laboratory tests. There were significant changes in foot strike pattern (described by the strike index and foot contact angle) and spatio-temporal stride characteristics, whereas only some among the other selected kinematic parameters (i.e. knee angles and hip vertical displacement) changed accordingly. Different types of minimalist footwear models induced different changes. It appears that minimalist footwear with lower heel heights and minimal shock absorption is more effective in replicating barefoot running.

Gym training shoe requirements in China and England

Background: Exercising in gyms is popular worldwide, among diverse populations and with different types of training applied. However, there is a lack of knowledge about general gym training footwear requirements of gym goers. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to survey the requisites of gym footwear.Methods: Our survey comprised of 935 regular gym goers from China and England who completed supervised hard copy questionnaires of gym footwear. The questionnaire included gym footwear wearing habits, importance of shoe properties, desired degree of shoe properties, shoe problems, and foot discomfort. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics for the total population and for subgroups of country, gender, and fitness level.Results: Notably, most gym goers did not use gym-specific footwear, but running shoes. Across all gym goers fit and comfort were regarded as the most important gym shoe features, followed by outward appearance and breathability. English males considered performance enhancing shoe properties more important and English females comfort ones, with no such gender differences in China. The plantar foot region was most prone to discomfort across the total population. In China the largest shoe problem was durability, whereas in England it was foot sweating. Gym goers typically desired a rather wide, soft cushioned, flexible, light gym shoe, also providing arch support and rather high traction.Conclusion: Footwear requirements were generally comparable across countries, genders, and fitness levels, although some differences were observed. Universally, shoe comfort and appearance features were more important than features directly enhancing athletic performance, reflecting the rather moderate movements of gym exercises. Our results provide comprehensive and evidence-based guidance for gym training footwear design and related research.

The effect of good and poor walking shoe characteristics on plantar pressure and gait in people with gout

BackgroundPrevious research has shown that good footwear characteristics may reduce foot pain and foot-related disability in people with gout. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of good and poor footwear characteristics on plantar pressure and spatiotemporal parameters of gait in people with gout. MethodsThirty-six people with gout participated in a cross-sectional repeated measures study. Plantar pressure and spatiotemporal parameters were recorded in two shoe conditions: (1) the participants own footwear, and (2) either a new pair of walking shoes with good footwear characteristics (n=21) or poor characteristics (n=15). Differences between good and poor shoe groups compared to participants own shoes were also determined. FindingsCompared to participant’s own shoes, footwear with good characteristics significantly reduced peak pressure at metatarsal 3 and 5, reduced pressure time integrals beneath the heel and metatarsals 3 and 5 and increased pressure time integrals beneath the midfoot. The footwear with poor characteristics significantly increased peak pressure beneath the heel and lesser toes, reduced peak pressure at metatarsal 3 and reduced pressure time integrals in the midfoot compared to participants own shoes. Both good and poor footwear significantly increased walking velocity, step length, and stride length compared to participants own shoes. InterpretationWalking shoes with good footwear characteristics can influence plantar pressure values and encourage a more efficient heel to toe gait pattern in people with gout. These changes may contribute to the reduction in foot pain and foot-related problems in this population.

Development and evaluation of a leaflet containing shoe advice: a randomized controlled trial

Providing advice to wear good quality shoes with appropriate fit is one of the possibilities GPs have when treating patients with foot problems. The aims of this study are to (i) determine which shoe characteristics are important when providing shoe advice; (ii) develop a shoe advice leaflet and (iii) evaluate if women choose better shoes with the aid of the leaflet. We performed a literature search on the effect of separate shoe characteristics on foot pathologies and kinematics and developed an information leaflet with the aid of multidisciplinary experts. The leaflet was tested in a group of women aged 50 years or over who did not receive podiatric treatment or shoe advice in the year prior to the study. The women were asked to select shoes; half of them were provided with the leaflet. Shoe characteristics were scored blinded for the condition by two podiatrists. Data were analysed using a t-test for independent measures. The developed leaflet contains nine shoe characteristics. A total of 57 women ranging from 54 to 86 years old (average 69) consented to participate in testing the efficacy of the leaflet. Women using the leaflet (n = 29) selected better shoes than without (P = 0.049). Based on a literature search and expert opinion, we have developed an information leaflet for GPs to provide as a supplement to oral shoe advice. Women using this leaflet were able to select shoes of better quality and better fit than women selecting shoes without using the leaflet.

Epidemiological Studies on Shoes for Elderly Adults in a Geriatric Unit

To the Editor: Each year, one in three people aged 65 and older is going to fall. The worst consequence of falling is death, in the short or long term. A fall is a multifactorial mechanism, and risk factors are well defined.1 Footwear for elderly people is one of them.2, 3 In clinical practice, this element is easy to spot at a glance, and recommendations are available. Some shoe features that can help to avoid falls have been offered.4 Six footwear features may be important in terms of prevention of falls (supported heel collar, fastening mechanism, low heel height, beveled heel, thin firm midsole, slip-resistant soles). The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence of inappropriate footwear in a geriatric unit, and to determine which style of footwear could help reduce the risk of falling. This was a cross-sectional observational study conducted from August 1, 2011, to October 31, 2011, in a geriatric unit of Grenoble University Hospital, Grenoble, France. Screening for inappropriate footwear was systematically offered to every hospitalized individual aged 75 and older, whatever the reason for admission, unless they were unable to speak, or their survival prognosis was limited. Information on shoe characteristics, medicosocial information, and fall history was collected through clinical examination and medical records. The shoe features were detailed according to those outlined previously.4 If individuals had several pairs of shoes, all were examined; for the analysis of shoes, especially regarding the number of features, only the best pairs were considered. All characteristics are shown in Table 1. Logistic regression using the Fischer model was performed to determine which types of shoes had the maximum number of quality items. R 2.15.2 (www.R-project.org) and Excel (Microsoft Corp., Redmond, WA) were used for statistical evaluation and database management. One hundred two individuals were included in the study (mean age 86.7 ± 5.6; n = 47, 46.8%, male). Four (4.1%) shoes were found to have all of the appropriate features. Athletic shoes were more likely to receive higher scores than other footwear (odds ratio (OR) = 5.33, 95% confidence interval (CI = 3.13–8.39, P < .001)), whereas the OR of slippers was 0.49 (95% CI = 0.30–0.89, P < .01). There was no other statistical association between the sum of the criteria and footwear style (lace-up oxfords, OR = 0.83, 95% CI = 0.46–1.56; loafers, OR = 0.77, 95% CI = 0.43–1.44; canvas shoes, OR = 0.56, 95% CI = 0.20–1.37; sandals, OR = 0.55, 95% CI = 0.31–1.01; others, boots, high heels, OR = 0.63, 95% CI = 0.27–1.36). No association was found between footwear style and fall history, and no association was found between the criteria and history of falling. Considering the criteria,4 the prevalence of inappropriate footwear is important because only 4.1% of shoes had all the items. Systematic screening and intervention in a geriatric unit during hospitalization could greatly improve the quality of footwear and might reduce the risk of falling in the hospital or after discharge into the community, although individual needs must also be considered, which the standardization of the criteria does not. There was a significant chance that sport shoes would have more recommended features for fall prevention than others, which supports the results of another study that showed that athletic shoes were associated with lower risk of falling outdoors or at home.5 In the current study, athletic shoes were worn less frequently than other types (Table 1). Slippers are the most common footwear in this population but have significantly fewer quality features than other footwear. The population of the current study was older and included more “fallers” than in other populations in previous studies. Furthermore, they were dependant, at risk of malnutrition, and cognitively impaired.2, 5, 6 Inpatients wore inappropriate footwear, and without screening and clinical intervention, this risk factor was not corrected. No association was found between footwear style or the criteria and history of falling. This could be due to multifactorial mechanisms of falling and bias of information in history of fall. Nevertheless, there is no evidence to show that inpatient footwear is the same as outpatient footwear in the community. Interventional studies are needed to determine whether clinical prevention with intervention on footwear at hospital discharge decreases the risk of falling in the community. Geriatricians must be vigilant and must educate their patients about optimal footwear. We would like to thank Katharine Di Silvestro. Conflict of Interest: The editor in chief has reviewed the conflict of interest checklist provided by the authors and has determined that the authors have no financial or any other kind of personal conflicts with this paper. Author Contributions: All authors: study concept and design, acquisition of subjects and data, analysis and interpretation of data, and preparation of manuscript. Sponsor's Role: No sponsors.

Supination control increases performance in sideward cutting movements in tennis

The objective of this study was to explore the effects of tennis shoe characteristics on performance during sideward cutting movements followed by direction changes. Five tennis players (age = 21.5 ± 0.8 years, mass = 75.2 ± 2.8 kg, and height = 1.78 ± 0.05 m) participated in the study and 10 tennis shoes were tested. Several footwear mechanical parameters were analyzed: Shore A hardness, longitudinal and transverse flexibility, midsole height at heel, presence of heel counters, and weight. A force plate was used to measure the kinetic variables, and two video cameras were used to perform a three-dimensional photogrammetric analysis. Results revealed that subject–footwear interaction was statistically not significant (p>0.05) for the kinetic and kinematic variables. Only contact time (p = 0.008) and supination movement (p = 0.009) were footwear dependent. Positive correlations between contact time and first supination peak (r = 0.783, p = 0.007) and second supination peak (r = 0.730, p = 0.016) were observed. Impulse was not changed, which means shoes limiting supination allowed tennis players to perform faster sideward cutting movements.

Exploiting Fashion Features for Floor Storage Systems in the Shoe Industry

Floor storage systems are used in the shoe industry to store fashion products of seasonal collections of low quantity and high variety. Since space is valuable and order picking must be sped up, stacking of shoeboxes should be optimized. The problem is modelled based on shoe features (model, type, colour, and size) and with the goal of forcing similar boxes into locations close to each other in order to improve workers' ability to retrieve orders fast. The model is encoded in Constraint Logic Programming and solved comparing different strategies, also using Large Neighbourhood Search. Simulation experiments are run to evaluate how the stacking model affects picking performance.

Physiological Versus Perceived Foot Temperature, and Perceived Comfort, during Treadmill Running in Shoes and Socks of Various Constructions

The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether people could accurately perceive physiological foot temperature during brief bouts of treadmill running in different combinations of shoe and sock models, and also how perception of comfort was influenced. Sixteen young adult males (21.3  0.8 years, 181.8  1 cm, 74.6  1.5 kg) participated in two separate studies where they alternated running and resting for 10 min each with temperature probes attached at two sites on the lateral dorsal aspect of the right foot. Subjects reported perceptions of foot comfort and temperature after each run using 10 cm visual analogue scales. In the first experiment, different sock models were tested with the same shoe model; in the second experiment, different shoe models were tested with the same sock model. Foot temperature did not differ statistically as a function of shoe or sock model in either experiment. Subjects did not perceive any difference in foot temperature in the shoe experiment, but perceived their foot as being cooler when wearing either a polyester sock or a calf compression sleeve and more comfortable when wearing shoes with less mass. Taken together, the results suggest that subjects’ perceptions of foot temperature may not coincide with physiological foot temperature and are more strongly influenced by sock characteristics than shoe characteristics. Further, shoe mass (but not sock fiber weave or composition) may impact comfort perception by subjects.