BIOMECHANICS IN PERFOMANCE SHOES

TYPES OF FOOT ARCHES

LOW ARCH/FLAT FEET

Characteristics: Very flexible foot with an arch that sits low to the ground. Very little
arch definition.

Potential Problems: Over-pronation, plantar fasciitis, post-tibial tendonitis, heel

spurs, medial knee problems, bunions

Orthotics: Orthotics should incorporate medial rearfoot posting and arch support to
keep the foot aligned and help control over-pronation

 Approximately 20% of the population has low arches so you’re in good company!

Low arches are more flexible and tend to roll inwards and over-pronate.  Typically,
imprints or iStep scans for your foot type show almost your entire foot. Low arches
are often biomechanically imbalanced and can make your feet more susceptible to
common foot problems such as heel pain, arch pain and plantar fasciitis.

The good news is that the right footwear and foot orthotics can help you achieve
proper body alignment, prevent injuries and maintain a healthy and active lifestyle.
MEDIUM ARCH
Characteristics: Biomechanically efficient foot. Moderately flexible foot. Defined
arch.

Potential Problems: Susceptible to common foot problems such as heel pain and
metatarsalgia from repetitive stress and improper fitting footwear.

Orthotics: Orthotics should have arch support, cushioning and shock absorbing
materials for comfort and foot pain prevention.

Approximately 60% of the population has medium arches so you’re in good

company!

Medium arches are often biomechanically efficient but still can be susceptible to
common foot problems such as heel pain or ball-of-foot discomfort.  Typically,
imprints or iStep scans for your foot type show approximately half your arch area
with a well-defined forefoot and rearfoot.

Your feet are always on the go and will greatly benefit from some extra cushioning,
shock absorption and support.  The right footwear and foot orthotics can help you
achieve proper body alignment, prevent injuries and maintain a healthy and active
lifestyle.
HIGH ARCH
Characteristics: Very rigid foot with an arch that sits higher from the ground. Well
defined arch. Excessive pressure to rearfoot and forefoot.

Potential Problems: Plantar fasciitis, heel pain syndrome, arch strain,

metatarsalgia, calluses, claw toes

Orthotics: Orthotics should have proper arch support, metatarsal pads for forefoot
relief, and strong cushioning properties.

 Approximately 20% of the population has high arches so you’re in good company!
High arches are usually classified as supinated and are more rigid than other feet.
Typically, imprints or iStep scans for your foot type show mostly your heel and ball-
of-foot, with very little in the arch area.

When we walk or run, our feet absorb most of the impact and shock.  With high
arches you have less surface area for absorbing impact and you place excessive
pressure on your rearfoot and forefoot areas.  This can make you susceptible to foot
conditions such as heel pain, ball-of-foot pain or plantar fasciitis.

The good news is that the right orthotics can help fill in your arch cavity to disperse
the shock, and provide the cushioning and alignment needed for you to prevent
injuries and maintain a healthy and active lifestyle.
PRONATION
Pronation is part of the natural movement of the human body and refers to
the way your foot rolls inward for impact distribution upon landing.
Understanding your pronation type can help you find a comfortable running
shoe.

There are 3 types of pronation

SUPINATORS
How Your Foot Contacts the Ground: outer side of the heel hits the ground at
an increased angle with little or no normal pronation, causing a large
transmission of shock through the lower leg.

Push Off: pressure on smaller toes on outside of foot.

Injuries: plantar fasciitis, shin splints, ankle strain.

Foot type: high arches.

NEUTRAL
How Your Foot Contacts the Ground: foot lands on outside of the heel, then
rolls inward (pronates) to absorb shock and support body weight

Push Off: even distribution from the front of the foot.

Injuries: less likely due to effective shock absorption, but neutral runners

are not immune to injury.

Foot Type: normal-size arches

OVER PRONATORS
How Your Foot Contacts the Ground: foot lands on outside of heel, then rolls
inward (pronates) excessively, transferring weight to inner edge instead of
ball of the foot

Push Off: big toe and second toe do majority of the work

Injuries: shin splints, plantar fasciitis, bunions, heel spurs

Foot Type: low arches or flat feet

Ponatio test

Video Gait Analysis

A video is taken of a runner's feet while running on a treadmill. The video

footage is slowed down and analyzed in detail by an ASICS professional,
expert at a specialty running store, podiatrist, or physical therapist, who will
explain your running type and help you select the right pair of running
shoes.

3D Foot Mapping

The most advanced version of video gait analysis is 3D foot mapping, which,
in addition to video, uses both lasers and micro cameras to create a highly
detailed 3D image of the foot. A range of information is obtained from the
scan, such as arch height and alignment of the Achilles with the leg. This is
used to determine the right running shoe and provide additional insight into
what may be causing recurrent injuries.

CHECK WEAR PATTERNS ON YOUR

SHOE
Wear patterns won't provide the full picture of gait analysis, but they can
give additional clues about the impact on your feet. This can give you an
idea of where you may need extra support and cushioning in your running
shoes.

For Supinators:

 Outside of your running shoes show the most wear

 If you put your running shoes on a flat surface, you may notice a
slight outward tilt

For Neutral Runners:

 Soles of your running shoes show wear in an S-shaped pattern, from

the outer (lateral) heel to the big toe
 If you put your shoes on a flat surface, you may not notice any tilt.
FOOT MEASUREMENT
We will accurately measure your feet with Brannock (the industry standard) measuring
device and perform a physical assessment of your foot and lower leg physiology.
GAIT ANALYSIS

You’ll have your feet and lower body movement evaluated through bare foot video gait
analysis on professional gait treadmills in full HD to identify movement patterns and check
for likely problems.

DYNAMIC FOOT SCAN

Next, a dynamic foot scan is taken, which examines the forces acting through your foot as it
impacts on the ground

EVALUATION

Finally, the combined results allow us to build a custom insole tailored to your individual
needs and recommend and test footwear on the treadmill where we can look in detail at
the shoes performance vs your needs.

THE ENGINEERING BEHIND SHOE DESIGN

Shoe design is a complex process that involves the collaboration of a variety of individuals, including
runners, craftsmen, technicians, scientists, and doctors.

Shoe Engineers
The primary goal of running shoe engineers is to achieve an optimal shoe design for the
"average" athlete. Average, in terms of human biomechanics, is a very tricky concept, since
all people are anatomically and functionally different [3]. Each individual is unique;
differences in structure, movement, and gait pattern require footwear to vary from person
to person. Efforts to meet this concern are further multiplied by the critical factors to be
considered in the design of each shoe: shock absorption, flexibility, fit, traction, sole wear,
breathability, weight, etc. Due to the diversity of the human form, it is impossible to provide
for the needs of every runner on the planet. Shoe designers manage this overwhelming
demand by supplying some standard, user-defined, foot-ground interface.
It is important to differentiate between shoe design and shoe fabrication. Shoe design
involves the complicated task of finding the most versatile specifications to cover a broad
spectrum of biomechanical requirements. In contrast, putting a shoe together once the
specifications have been set is a very straightforward process. A typical shoe consists of
three basic components: the outsole, the midsole, and the upper. Each of these
components is comprised of materials that vary greatly in weight and density. A shoe's
durability is often determined by the hardness of the outsole rubber, the density and
firmness of the midsole foam, and the strength of the upper materials.

As simple as the parts may seem, however, running shoe design requires the efforts of
several academic fields. It is a very detailed application of podiatry, the study of human feet,
and biomechanics, the study of the human body in motion. As Peter Cavanagh puts it,
"Running shoes are worn on running feet, and running feet are attached to running legs.
Trying to understand the design and construction of running shoes without a clear
knowledge of what goes inside and above them would be difficult" [2]. Hence, a
comprehensive knowledge of human anatomy is key. The goal of biomechanists is to study
complex forces as they act on the body, primarily by applying principles from mechanics and
engineering [3]. Applications to running include measuring the movements of limb
segments, measuring the forces and pressures underneath the foot and the shoe, and
calculating what muscle forces create the observed movements [2].

By studying the motions of an athlete engaged in a sports movement, biomechanical

engineers can apply mathematical and engineering principles to derive functional criteria for
the problems encountered by the human body in motion [3].

Gait Analysis
Biomechanists utilize a method known as 'gait analysis' to evaluate human kinetics
quantitatively. These studies are conducted in the laboratory using high-speed photography
and a force-measuring platform. In high-speed photography, runners are filmed at speeds
up to 500 frames per second. The film is then analyzed by a high grade projector, which
moves the experimental film through one frame at a time. In most cases, markers are placed
at specific 'points of interest' before filming takes place [2]. This new technology is better
known as 'motion analysis.' As the individual moves about the laboratory, a number of
cameras scattered throughout the perimeter of the testing area detect the spatial locations
of each of the markers. These markers are placed at locations where important
measurements are to be taken, including the hip joint, the back of the shoe, and the back of
the leg. A screen displays the markers as dots moving about in a three-dimensional plane.
The detected signals are then converted to numerical data for mathematical analysis of each
point throughout the running cycle.

The second important tool in gait analysis is the force platform. This device is specially
geared to measure variations in forces under the foot during running. Data collected from
force platform measurements allow scientists to visualize 'invisible' forces acting on the
soles of the feet [3]. It is from this device that we are able to observe, for example, that the
reaction forces under the foot during running can rise up to two to three times body weight.
Pressure distributions throughout the foot can be observed at given points in the running
cycle. (For a moving map, see the website for the International Society of Biomechanics:
Technical Group on Footwear Biomechanics: http://www.teleport.com/~biomech/sneaker
s.html) [4].

Shoe Testing

Biomechanics also plays an important role in the shoe testing process. Before
the advent of dynamic mechanical methods for evaluating shoe performance,
the primary concern of the shoe industry was to test materials for adhesion,
attachment, seams, and fatigue due to the structural breakdown of the shoe
with use [3]. Biomechanical testing concentrates on the shoe in action and the
resulting stresses imposed on the runner.
There are several methods for shoe testing. In the general process, advanced
technology is used to determine the shoe requirements of runners in motion.
Results of the test are analyzed and the opinions and feelings of the runner are
considered. These results are combined to produce a shoe that both tests and
fits well [2] Factors tested both in and out of the laboratory include shock
absorption [2], flexibility [2], heel counter stiffness [2], rearfoot stability [2],
overall rearfoot control [2], sole wear test [2], traction (149), and permeability
to water [2]. The testing procedures associated with these factors will not be
described at length in this article. However, the following image provides a
summary of selected running shoe features and corresponding design
functions that have resulted from research [3] (Fig. 3).
The results of extensive testing yielded these requirements for running shoes

Shoe Fabrication
The initial step in actual shoe fabrication involves the construction of the 'last.' The last is
what gives a shoe its shape (and the individual his desired fit). It is the form over which the
upper is pulled and molded over during manufacture [2]. At the beginning of the design
process, the manufacturer sends his specifications to the model maker, who then constructs
a three-dimensional wooden model: the last. In shaping the last, the experienced designer is
guided by six measurements.

 Ball Girth
 Waist Girth
 Instep Girth
 Long Heel Girth
 Short Heel Girth
 Stick Length (Overall heel-toe measurement on the last)

Most model shops contain tables that list the approximate values of these measurements
for each shoe size. The model maker shapes, files, sands, and smooths until these
measurements match and the product subjectively reflects the right appearance.
This handmade model is then placed onto a 'copy lathe,' which generates exact replicas of
the same or different size. This device does complete size runs on the model and, in turn,
generates plastic versions of the model onto which the shoes are actually made.

This design is now sent to the pattern maker, who measures the exact shapes of the various
pieces of material comprising the shoe upper. This process begins with the sewing on of a
'skin,' or tightly fitting layer of material, which is sliced off according to the way the shoe will
be made. He then makes precise drawings of these parts, including a little more space to
accommodate seams. His drawings are sent to the manufacturer for use in cutting dies for
the finished product .

Shoe design, especially running shoe design, is a very precise and complicated process. It is
also paramount to the overall health of the end user. The shoes will be used under a broad
variety of conditions, by an infinite variation of body types.