© Springer International Publishing AG 2017
Matthew B. Werd, E. Leslie Knight and Paul R. Langer (eds.)Athletic Footwear and Orthoses in Sports Medicine10.1007/978-3-319-52136-7_55. Athletic Shoe Evaluation
Athletic footwear has been in existence since the 1800s when track competitors used spikes on their leather shoes. The leather fit poorly and the shoes would get stretched out easily making them useless very quickly. Late in the 1800s the Keds Company was born with the innovation of using rubber soles. Emphasis in the early 1900s was on basketball footwear. The main manufacturers in the athletic shoe market at that time were Adis and Rudolph Dassler—ultimately to become Adidas. They were making athletic footwear by hand for basketball and even some tennis players. The market for athletic shoes changed in the early 1970s when Frank Shorter won the Olympic gold medal in the marathon. By then Nike was building a presence based on their innovations in the running shoe market. This happened to coincide with America’s running boom. The demand for running shoes took off and so did Nike. As fitness became a major emphasis in this country, other forms of exercise such as aerobics started gaining popularity. Reebok capitalized on this and aimed its marketing and footwear to this niche.
Competition in the athletic shoe market has intensified over the last 30 years. Athletic footwear is no longer just for athletes. Having the right look and the right shoe is very important to the younger age groups. In addition, the shoe companies have attempted to market as many segments of the population as possible in order to sell more sport-specific shoes. With all of this emphasis on the athletic shoe, the question often asked is whether athletic shoes are actually good for your feet. The answer is not a simple yes or no. In order to provide the best answer to that question, an understanding of the shoe itself, its anatomy, and how it functions will lead to answering that question.
Anatomy of an Athletic Shoe
Review of shoe anatomy, key features, and function will be presented (see Chap. 1 for comparison of historical shoe anatomy designs). All of the parts of a shoe have names, and knowing these names will help to discuss footwear intelligently and consistently. Understanding shoe anatomy and thus shoe function is analogous to learning human anatomy, one needs to understand anatomy before learning physiology.
Last
The last of the shoe ultimately determines how the shoe will fit a particular foot type. Currently, lasts are made of plastic, but in previous times they were made of wood. The last will determine the width toe box, depth of the toe region, toe spring, and heel height. Mass-produced shoes are made from lasts that are typical of common foot structure, whereas custom shoes are made from individual lasts specific for that person and the type of shoe that is desired.
Toe Box
This is the width of the toe region. Some shoes come to a point and some are more squared in their shape. Depending upon the toe shape of the individual will determine what should fit the best. Toe box can also include the depth or height of the toe region. If toes are contracted or overlap each other then as deep a toe box as possible is needed.
Vamp
This is the part of the shoe where the laces are located. Depending upon the angle of the foot in the region of the instep will determine the shape or style vamp that should work the best. For instance if someone has a high instep then increased room is needed in this region.
Balmoral Versus Blucher
Bal is a front-laced shoe in which the quarters meet and the vamp is stitched at the front of the throat. Bal is short for “Balmoral,” the Scottish castle where this style was first introduced. Blucher is a style where the quarters flap opens at the vamp, giving extra room at the throat and instep in fitting. Most athletic shoes are made with a modified bal style.
Outer Sole
This is the bottom of the shoe that interfaces with the ground. There are a variety of different materials that are now utilized for outer soles depending upon the activity for which the shoe is designed. Some are more durable than others. In the early 1970s the waffle sole became very popular when its inventor, Bill Bowerman, was experimenting with soling material and a waffle iron.
Midsole
This is the location found between the outer sole and the upper of the shoe. Development of different density midsole materials has affected the design of many athletic shoes. In addition, athletic shoe manufacturers have experimented in this region of the shoe with ways to try and control the biomechanics of the foot.
Upper
This is the part of the shoe that encloses the foot. The upper is what encloses around the foot, decides the shoe style as well as breathability.
Heel Counter
This is within the upper of the shoe and supports the heel around its medial and lateral sides. Some shoes have a substantial heel counter in order to provide motion control and some leave this out completely. Whether a shoe has a heel counter depends also upon the particular activity for which the shoe was designed.
Function of Athletic Shoes
Initially athletic shoes were made with only function in mind, but that was at a time when there was very little information available concerning the biomechanical aspects of the human foot. Basketball, tennis, and football each had shoes specific for their sport in the early 1900s. In the 1950s that changed when sneakers became a fashionable item for the younger generation. The running boom changed that again as function became important again. As important as function is to athletic shoes, fashion is never far behind though. Selling shoes has always been the priority of the footwear industry. In order to sell shoes, appealing design is necessary. Often the fashion characteristics of a shoe outweigh the function in the mind of consumers.
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