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1. Gordon Valiant and Robert Borchers
   Nike Inc., Beaverton, USA
   DEVELOPMENT OF A RUNNING SHOE FROM DIGITISED FOOT SHAPES
   
2. Mark Thompson, Simon Luethi, Xavier Kaelin, Sandro Nigg
   adidas International Portland Test Center, Portland, Oregon, USA
   EFFECTS OF RUNNING SHOE SOLE CONSTRUCTION ON DYNAMIC FOOT STABILITY
   
3. Kersting, U.G., Kriwet, A.
   Institute for Athletics and Gymnastics, German Sport University - Cologne; Germany
   THE INFLUENCE OF RESTRICTED REARFOOT MOTION ON IMPACT FORCES DURING RUNNING

Session 1: Impact
Session 2: Invited Speaker
Session 3: Insoles and Inserts
Session 4: Methods
Session 5:Clinical Aspects and Injury
Session 6:Sports
Session 7:Pressure Distribution
Session 8:Running and Running Shoes
Session 9: Structure and Function

Lasts provide the internal shoe shape that accommodates the morphology of a broad segment of runners. It was the purpose of this study to develop running shoes with enhanced fit and comfort by developing lasts that more closely approximate an average shaped male and female foot. Weight bearing plaster casts of the right foot of 30 male (US size 9) and 27 female (size 7) subjects were obtained. Casts were scanned with a Cyberware model laser scanner. CCD cameras located medially and laterally recorded laser light reflected off the casts. Accurate measures of the distance from each camera were obtained along the length of the casts. Coordinates for male and female foot casts were smoothed, expressed relative to a reference axis, and averaged. A model of each average 3D foot shape was milled on a numerically controlled machine. Uppers and contoured midsoles were created, and shoe pairs were constructed using the 3D shapes. Shortcomings in fit and comfort were addressed by length increases, shape changes at the tip, addition of toe spring, and toe height increases. These iterative changes primarily reflected internal volume and shape requirements for running foot dynamics. Compared to conventionally lasted shoes, the foot shaped shoes were preferred by 90% of male runners. The greatest differentiation was improved arch fit and support. Other preferences included a substantially snugger heel fit, and a wider toe and forefoot fit. Achieving combinations of enhanced forefoot width, toe height, and shoe length was more difficult for the women’s shoe. The wide forefoot appearance was often cited as a negative.

Dual density midsoles provide medial stability when performing a running movement. W analyzed two different dual density modsoles : medial side harder in the forefoot only and medial side hard on the entire length of the shoe. This study involved twelve subjects. As each subject ran on a treadmill at 3.0 ms-1 we performed a high speed video analysis at 256 frames per second. Two markers were placed respectively on the Achilles tendon and Gastrocnemius area of each subject. Two markers were also placed on the heel area of the shoes. The results indicate that dual density midsole in the rearfoot has no significant effect on maximum pronation, range of motion and velocity of the ankle joint complex as compared to the other midsole. From these results, we infer that dual density construction in the forefoot only is sufficient to provide good medial stability.

A broad number of experimental studies have shown variations of impacts and pronation angles caused by modified shoe constructions. It nevertheless remains unclear whether altered rearfoot motion or other kinematic aspects are responsible for the resulting kinetic changes.

The purpose of the present study was to find out if a restriction of rearfoot motion by splinting or taping leads to substantial changes of impact forces at touch-down independent of shoe construction.

The study was performed on an instrumented treadmill. An in-shoe goniometer, an in-shoe force sensor under the heel, an tibial accelerometer and a 2D video-analysis system to record sagittal plane kinematics were used. 10 subjects performed twelve trials each at 3.5 ms-1 on the treadmill. Four motion restricting conditions - non-perturbed, taped, splinted, taped and splinted - were investigated under three footwear conditions - running shoe, sport sandal and barefoot.

Preliminary results showed a close relation between rearfoot motion and impact peaks when running in the sandal. In the running shoe and barefoot conditions substantial changes in pronation did not lead to equivalent alterations in impact force peaks. Therefore, it must be questioned whether increased rearfoot motion can be related to a reduction of impacts