POSITION AND ALIGNMENT OF FLEX ZONES IN RUNNING SHOES

Abstract

The right position and alignment of forefoot flexibility zones in running shoes represents a precondition to avoid overuse injuries of the foot and leg. The goal of this study was to determine foot anthropometries, in order to set up construction guidelines for the positioning and alignment of the flex zones in running shoes. The foot anthropometries of 471 runners were measured with a 2D scanning system under static conditions. The metatarsal-length-indices (MU) were calculated for each ray. The calculated MUs do not indicate the necessity for a grading pattern regarding different shoe sizes, gender dimorphism and different regions. To consider the anthropometrical variance of the MUs it is suggested to apply flex zones instead of only flex grooves. The results suggest the application of a transversal, a longitudinal and a diagonal flex zone in running shoes.