There are many different types of footwear available for runners in today's market. Many of these shoes claim to improve a runner's efficiency by altering their stride mechanics. Minimalist footwear claims to aid runners in running more on their forefeet whereas more traditional footwear provides more cushioning specifically for a heel-first landing. The purpose of this research was to determine if runners who were accustomed to running in traditional footwear would acutely alter their running biomechanics when they ran barefoot or in various types of minimalist footwear. Twelve subjects, who were accustomed to running in traditional 12 mm heel/toe differential footwear, ran in five footwear conditions on a treadmill at a controlled pace for 2 minutes after warming up in each condition for 5 minutes. While running in 12 mm heel/toe differential footwear compared to barefoot, subjects ran with a significantly longer ground time, a slower stride rate and greater vertical oscillation. There were not any significant differences in kinematic and kinetic variables when running in the shod conditions despite the varying heel/toe differentials. Foot strike angle did not change under any of the conditions either. Running barefoot proved to be different than running in footwear in that stride rate increased, ground time decreased and vertical oscillation decreased. There were not any significant acute differences between any of the footwear conditions despite having different heel/toe differentials in subjects accustomed to wearing traditional heel-drop footwear. Wearing minimalist or cushioned minimal footwear appears to not be an effective means of changing running mechanics acutely but may need repeated bouts to alter running mechanics.

Thesis (M. Phil.)--Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 93-95). Also available in electronic version. Access restricted to campus users.

Current winter footwear provides inadequate protection from slip-related injuries on ice, and there is limited research investigating the optimal design of anti-slip devices. This study examined how ice cleat spike height and position in the heel affect slipping. No differences could be observed between spike conditions, but results demonstrated that heel spikes may prevent slips initiated between heel contact and foot-flat and forefoot spikes may be necessary to prevent foot-flat slips. Further analysis compared slip outcomes measured using two slip onset definitions: 1) heel contact, and 2) the first point of increasing positive heel acceleration. Slip onset defined as time of heel contact overestimated the number of slips and slip distances. These results demonstrate that ice cleats have the potential to protect pedestrians from slipping but some styles available to consumers (i.e. heel spikes only) may not be adequate. Choice of slip definition in footwear evaluations can significantly influence study outcomes.

The study explores the problems faced by the Pieterrnaritzburg-Msunduzi footwear industry as a consequence of globalization. International examples of policies regarded as possible solutions to the problems being experienced are reviewed. The study, a literature review, is based on the findings listed in Stilwell (1999) in which the problems which the Pieterrnaritzburg-Msundusi footwear industry faced were described. The current study extended and expanded on this work by not only looking at the causes of the problems being experienced by the industry, but by evaluating policies which could improve the situation with reference to Pieterrnaritzburg-Msundusi. The primary research objectives of the study were to analyse the local footwear industry's situation, gathering information concerning the levels of employment and output using original data from the most recent Census ofManufacturing. This data was interpreted to reveal changes that had taken place in the local footwear industry to establish what the main causes ofthese changes were. The secondary objective was to evaluate flexible manufacturing and the footwear cluster as possible solutions to the problems which have been identified. The importance of the SN11'v1E in aiding the industry's plight was also highlighted and the significance of these smaller industries discussed. The study concludes with recommendations for pursuing the footwear cluster concept in Pieterrnaritzburg-Msunduzi. / Thesis (M.Com.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2001.

Current winter footwear provides inadequate protection from slip-related injuries on ice, and there is limited research investigating the optimal design of anti-slip devices. This study examined how ice cleat spike height and position in the heel affect slipping. No differences could be observed between spike conditions, but results demonstrated that heel spikes may prevent slips initiated between heel contact and foot-flat and forefoot spikes may be necessary to prevent foot-flat slips. Further analysis compared slip outcomes measured using two slip onset definitions: 1) heel contact, and 2) the first point of increasing positive heel acceleration. Slip onset defined as time of heel contact overestimated the number of slips and slip distances. These results demonstrate that ice cleats have the potential to protect pedestrians from slipping but some styles available to consumers (i.e. heel spikes only) may not be adequate. Choice of slip definition in footwear evaluations can significantly influence study outcomes.

Thesis (M.A.)--West Virginia University, 2006. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains iv, 64 p. : ill. (some col.), maps (some col.). Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 63-64).

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Nevada, Reno, 2008. / "December 2008." Includes bibliographical references (leaves 135-138). Library also has microfilm. Ann Arbor, Mich. : ProQuest Information and Learning Company, [2009]. 1 microfilm reel ; 35 mm. Online version available on the World Wide Web.

Background: The aim of this paper was to create an updated Australian guideline on footwear for people with diabetes. Methods: We reviewed new footwear publications, (international guidelines, and consensus expert opinion alongside the 2013 Australian footwear guideline to formulate updated recommendations. Result: We recommend health professionals managing people with diabetes should: (1) Advise people with diabetes to wear footwear that fits, protects and accommodates the shape of their feet. (2) Advise people with diabetes to always wear socks within their footwear, in order to reduce shear and friction. (3) Educate people with diabetes, their relatives and caregivers on the importance of wearing appropriate footwear to prevent foot ulceration. (4) Instruct people with diabetes at intermediate-or high-risk of foot ulceration to obtain footwear from an appropriately trained professional to ensure it fits, protects and accommodates the shape of their feet. (5) Motivate people with diabetes at intermediate-or high-risk of foot ulceration to wear their footwear at all times, both indoors and outdoors. (6) Motivate people with diabetes at intermediate-or high-risk of foot ulceration (or their relatives and caregivers) to check their footwear, each time before wearing, to ensure that there are no foreign objects in, or penetrating, the footwear; and check their feet, each time their footwear is removed, to ensure there are no signs of abnormal pressure, trauma or ulceration. (7) For people with a foot deformity or pre-ulcerative lesion, consider prescribing medical grade footwear, which may include custom-made in-shoe orthoses or insoles. (8) For people with a healed plantar foot ulcer, prescribe medical grade footwear with custom-made in-shoe orthoses or insoles with a demonstrated plantar pressure relieving effect at high-risk areas. (9) Review prescribed footwear every three months to ensure it still fits adequately, protects, and supports the foot. (10) For people with a plantar diabetic foot ulcer, footwear is not specifically recommended for treatment; prescribe appropriate offloading devices to heal these ulcers. Conclusions: This guideline contains 10 key recommendations to guide health professionals in selecting the most appropriate footwear to meet the specific foot risk needs of an individual with diabetes.

Purpose: Increasing the longitudinal bending stiffness of a running shoe decreases metabolic energy cost. Optimal stiffness occurs at the stiffness with the lowest metabolic cost. However, it is still unclear how optimal stiffness varies among individuals. The primary purpose of this study was to understand how optimal shoe stiffness is affected by running speed. A secondary purpose examined the anatomical and biomechanical characteristics associated with optimal stiffness variation. Methods: Six shoe stiffness conditions were manufactured by inserting carbon fiber plates between the midsole and outsole of a standard running shoe (shoe stiffness range: 9.26–23.83 N/mm). Twenty-one experienced male runners (mass = 67.1 ± 5.0 kg, height = 178.9cm ± 4.0 cm, age = 26.4 ± 8.4 years, American shoe size 10–11.5) completed testing at a slow 2.98 m/s and fast 4.47 m/s speed over two testing days, completing 5 min in each shoe condition. Metabolic cost was measured along with several biomechanical and anatomical variables. Data were also separated by foot strike to allow additional analysis. Results: At the fast speed, average optimal stiffness was 19.29 N/mm (± 5.62) with a metabolic benefit of 3.02% (± 2.62%). Slow speed average optimal stiffness was 17.04 N/mm (± 6.09) with a metabolic benefit of 1.93% (± 1.82%). Only rearfoot strikers demonstrated a significant increase in optimal stiffness (p = .020) and the associated metabolic benefit (p = .024) across speeds. There were no correlations between any of the measured anatomical or biomechanical variables and optimal stiffness. Conclusion: Optimal stiffness varied between subjects but was not correlated to any of our measured characteristics. Rearfoot striking runners may benefit from a high stiffness shoe at faster speeds to enable optimal performance.

El texto completo de este trabajo no está disponible en el Repositorio Académico UPC por restricciones de la casa editorial donde ha sido publicado. / Mypes (Micro and small companies) play an important role in the economy of a country, since they contribute 24% to Peru's GDP, besides being a generator of employment and business development. In this context, the Mypes of footwear continue to have exponential growth, this due to the result of their operations that are carried out with these companies on a daily basis. Therefore, it is necessary to have qualitative and quantitative data of the reality that these present in your business environment. To identify the level of maturity there are several methods, which provide necessary criteria to identify and qualify the processes that exist within the Mypes.