The Effects of Shoe Architecture on Heel Impact Forces During Gait

Abstract

In the current athletic footwear market, there exists a range of shoe architectures that offer a variety of support and flexibility options. The importance of footwear type has proved to be significant in the prevention of acute injuries due to impact forces [1, 2]. It has been shown that impact forces have most often been implicated in overuse running injuries, such as stress fractures and plantar fasciitis [2]. Additionally, material properties of damping elements, such as shoes, have demonstrated an effect on impact forces. Athletic footwear is categorized by the attribute of flexibility. The natural flex observed in the sole determines the flexibility; a more flexible shoe flexes closer to the mid-foot region, while a shoe designed for stability will flex closer to the ball of the shoe. Prior work has quantified the material stiffness of different shoe architectures with stability shoes possessing higher material stiffness than flexible shoes [3].