Shoe literally puts a spring in your step Researchers have designed a new type of running shoe which incorporates springs into the sole for the first time. Prototypes of the trainer, developed to reduce injury risk, will be on showat this year’s Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition, which opens this week.. “Over a given year, injury affects over 70 per cent of recreational runners,” explains Professor Jim Richards, research lead at the Allied Health research unit, University of Central Lancashire (UCLan). “This is still a huge problem; even with all the latest advances of running shoes, we are still getting a high injury rate.” Since the 1980s, running shoes have featured shock-absorption cushioning which acts as a damper to help prevent injury caused by the impact felt as the foot strikes the hard ground. It is the intensity of the shock waves generated at this point of contact that is linked to the development of running-related injuries such as knee pain, shin splints and stress fractures. To improve on current technology, Richards has teamed up with Leeds based mattress manufacturer Harrison Spinks to put a miniaturised version of one of their springs into the sole of a trainer. Using these lightweight microsprings mean that the sole of the shoe can absorb a significantly higher proportion of the shock pressure and provide an increased uplift as you push back off the ground. “If you had a car suspension with just a damper and no spring in it then you’d have a very bumpy ride. Therefore having a shoe that incorporates both provides a much improved shock-absorbing system compared with existing tech,” says Richards. “By finetuning the springs and the damper arrangement within the shoe we can optimise its shock absorbing properties. We will also be able to tweak the arrangement for each individual runner, which is particularly important because everyone has a different running style and physiology that impacts on their risk of different types of injury.” Richards’ research has so far resulted in a prototype version of the trainers. It is hoped that the successful prototyping will mean the shoes will be widely available for people to buy later this year. MM130702
Posted on: Fri, 05 Jul 2013 13:42:35 +0000
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