Understanding the action of the metatarsophalangeal joint (MTP) is fundamental to improving the design process of a new outdoor shoe. Coming from the stated consideration, the aim of this research is to study the influence of shoe sole stiffness and terrain slope on the MTP joint angle of subjects walking in different conditions. To pursue this intent, different data collection sessions have been carried out in-vitro and in-vivo, indoor and outdoor. Two different approaches have been used to collect gait kinematics: an IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) based system for the first campaign of tests, and a 2D video analysis for the second. Major findings showed a linear correlation between shoe sole stiffness and peak MTP joint angle during gait, as well as consistency in the value of the slope of the linear regression curves corresponding to the different conditions examined.

The effects of 4 months of weather exposure on the ageing of dynamic climbing ropes made of polyamide 6 were studied and differences between ropes with and without hydrophobic coating were examined. The polyamide degradation of the rope yarns was studied using infrared spectroscopy and a quasi-static tensile test. The number of falls to failure and the maximum force on the climber in a fall were evaluated with a drop test according to the UIAA 101 standard. Moreover, changes in the length of the ropes due to weathering were measured. The following results were found. After 4 months of weathering, sheath yarns of the coated rope showed a greater decrease in breaking force than those of the uncoated rope, which might be due to reactions of polyamide with radicals formed during the photo-induced oxidation of the coating. In contrast, the core yarns from the uncoated rope showed a greater decrease in breaking force than those from the coated rope, probably due to prolonged exposure of the uncoated core to water with possibly dissolved atmospheric acids. Furthermore, the decrease in the number of falls to failure was greater in the uncoated than in the coated rope. This difference was explained by a mechanism of changes in radial pressure of the sheath on the core. Regarding the maximum force on the climber, no significant changes due to ageing were observed during the drop test. Thus, it was concluded that 4 months of weather exposure do not pose a safety risk for climbing ropes, but the negative effect of coating on the ageing of polyamide might be detrimental when it comes to static personal safety equipment, such as slings or accessory cords.