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Athletic footwear affects balance in men
1Department of Mechanical Engineering, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
British Journal of Sports Medicine
|June 1, 1994
Summary
Footwear stability is crucial for athletic performance and fall prevention. This study found that thick, soft shoe soles decrease stability, while thin, hard soles enhance it, suggesting a need for stability-optimized footwear design.
Area of Science:
- Biomechanics
- Sports Science
- Human Movement
Background:
- Stable equilibrium during locomotion is essential for athletic performance and preventing falls.
- Previous research suggested athletic footwear may impair stability in older men.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between midsole properties (hardness and thickness) and dynamic equilibrium in younger adults.
- To test the hypothesis that midsole thickness negatively and hardness positively relates to dynamic equilibrium.
Main Methods:
- 17 healthy adult men participated in a balance beam experiment.
- Subjects walked barefoot and in shoes with varying midsole hardness and thickness.
- Balance failures (falls) were quantified to measure dynamic equilibrium.
Main Results:
- Midsole hardness was positively related to stability, while thickness was negatively related.
- Shoes with thick-soft soles significantly destabilized participants compared to thin-hard soles.
- The poorest stability condition showed 217% more balance failures than the best.
Conclusions:
- Modern athletic and walking shoes with thick-soft soles can destabilize users.
- Thin-hard soled footwear provides superior stability.
- Optimizing footwear midsole properties can enhance athletic performance and public safety.