Measurement of torsion in running shoes – a pilot study

Abstract

The results have shown that the heel pad becomes stiffer as the compressibility index of the heel pad is increasing. During the heel strike, as the peak force on the heel pad is up to three times the body weight, the heel pad should dissipate the energy to relieve the shock (Bennett & Ker, 1990). Based on the results, as the heel pad compresses by increasing force, the heel pad becomes rapidly stiffer than the normal. According to the previous researches, the stiffer heel pad elevates the energy dissipation (Hsu, Wang, Tsai, Kuo, & Tang, 1998). Therefore, the heel pad can dissipate the energy to protect the heel from the abnormal impact as the heel pad becomes rapidly stiffer than the normal. The heel pad of the more weighted subject was stiffer than the heel pad of the less weighted subject. As the body weight increases, the more pressure distributes on the heel pad. Therefore, the heel pad should be stiffer because the heel pad dissipates more energy. Based on the findings, as the force acted on the heel pad is increasing, the heel pad becomes stiffer rapidly, so the heel pad can dissipate the energy to relieve the stress. References Bennett, M. B., & Ker, R. F. (1990). The mechanical properties of the human subcalcaneal fat pad in compression. Journal of Anatomy, 171, 131–138. Erdemir, A., Viveiros, M. L., Ulbrecht, J. S., & Cavanagh, P. R. (2006). An inverse finite-element model of heel-pad indentation. Journal of Biomechanics, 39, 1279–1286. doi: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2005.03.007 Hsu, C. C., Tsai, W. C., Hsiao, T., Tseng, F. Y., Shau, Y. W., Wang, C. L., & Lin, S. C. (2009). Diabetic effects on microchambers and macrochambers tissue properties in human heel pads. Clinical Biomechanics (Bristol, Avon), 24, 682–686. doi:10.1016/j.clinbiomech.2009.06.005 Hsu, T. C., Wang, C. L., Tsai, W. C., Kuo, J. K., & Tang, F. T. (1998). Comparison of the mechanical properties of the heel pad between young and elderly adults. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 79, 1101–1104. doi: 10.1016/S0003-9993(98)90178-2 Prichasuk, S. (1994). The heel pad in plantar heel pain. The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. British Volume, 76(1), 140–142.