The impact test machine

The impact test machine is a standard fixture in most sport research labs. The most fundamental use of the impact tester is to measure the cushioning characteristics of a material. Some of the measurements of interest to a sport researcher are listed below.
Peak (g) - A measure of the average rate of deceleration of the impacting missile head into the material. Researchers look for a range between 9-14g for cushioning in the heel area of a midsole, while they look for less than 17g in the fore foot area. In general, the greater the number of g's the worse the cushioning characteristics of the material. Maximum Penetration (%) - This is a measure of how far the missile penetrates, or compresses the material. Researchers look for penetration no higher than 35%.Energy Return (%) - Energy return is a measure of how much of the kinetic energy from the system (the falling missile) is returned to the system. Researchers look for energy returns greater than 50%.
The impact tester (see figure 1) is a missile weighted with 8.5kg dropped from a 50mm height. The impact tester is designed to model an average runner (defined as 150lb, 5' 10", 7 minute per mile, male) and the forces he would generate in running.
Source Lab Tooles

The major components of a shoe can be broken down as illustrated in figure 1. Each part, in turn, can be broken down into smaller sub-components. It's also important to note that, even though the shoe can be broken down into these four major components, and one can apply science to help improve the design of each, all of these parts operate in an integrated fashion. What follows then is an overview of these main components, their key sub-components, and the properties sports researchers study relative to their performance. Also included are some current ideas relative to design that might be incorporated into the part to improve performance. Lastly, where appropriate, a brief introduction to the history behind the evolution of the components design is provided.
The major parts of a shoe.

1. Upper
2. Insert
3. Midsole
4. Outsole
   

How To Shop for Women's Shoes if You're a Man

Shopping for women's shoes can be difficult enough for women. But if you're a man shopping for women's shoes, the task might seem impossible.

a few tips could have you well on your way to finding the perfect gift for the women in your life -- you may even have fun doing it.

1- Shoes: To Give or Not to Give
First, determine whether shoes are a good gift idea for the woman in question. It may seem like all women are shoe-obsessed, but that's really not the case.
If you're unsure, try checking her closet to see how many pairs of shoes she has. Does she wear different shoes each time you see her? When you're shopping, does she linger in the shoe section?
If all else fails, ask her why women are obsessed with shoes -- if she has a ready defense, chances are she's one of us.

2- Profiling a Woman's Shoe "Type"
When it comes to women's shoes, there are hundreds of styles, heel heights, colors, materials, and so on.
Find the style of women's shoes that suits the woman you're buying for by knowing what kind of woman she is.
Is she athletic? Is she career-motivated? The outdoors type? Or is she an artistic, one-of-a-kind kind of girl?
Form a mental image of the woman she is, and narrow your focus to women's shoes that will suit her.

3- Check Your Facts
Check your info by looking through her magazines or catalogs. A reader of "Vegetarian Times" probably won't appreciate a pair of leather boots.
Also pay attention to the stores does she like to shop in. Designer heels might be lost on a woman who collects old Converse chucks from eBay, and you might insult a fashionista by offering up even the most comfortable of walking shoes.
By paying close attention her preferences, you'll dramatically improve your chances of success.

4- The All-Important Heel
Now that you know the type of shoes she might like, you need to pick a heel height.
While some flat-wearers secretly covet a pair of four inch heels, it's best to play it safe. Stick with flats or heels under 2 inches. Walking in high heels takes a lot of practice, and she should make that jump only if she chooses to -- not because you like the way they look.
If you know she loves high heels, go for it, but stick within the range of what she normally buys for herself.

More Tips Click Here

Browse through online footwear dictionary

insole
insole, innersole - piece of material shaped to match the bottom of the last, which will be layered between the outsole and the sole of the foot. The shoe is constructed around it, with the upper, welting, and lining attached.

last
last - made of plastic, metal, or wood, it is the form used to determine the shape and size of the shoe. The derivation of the word is "laest", the Old English word for footprint.




outsole
outsole - the outer sole of a shoe or boot oxford - a low shoe laced over the instep.

What is Shoes Vamp?

The vamp covers the dorsum of the foot (includes the tongue piece) and superior aspects over the toes. This section i.e. the toe puff is reinforced which serves to give the shoe its shape as well as protect the toes. The vamp is often made of more than one piece, creating a decorative pattern. There are various types of vamps suited to different styles of shoes.

The Upper of the Shoe

All parts or sections of the shoe above the sole that are stitched or otherwise joined together to become a unit then attached to the insole and outsole. The upper of the shoe consists of the vamp or front of the shoe, the quarter i.e. the sides and back of the shoe, and the linings. Uppers are made in a variety of different materials, both natural and synthetic. Leather became the obvious cover of choice because it allowed air to pass through to and from the skin pores thereby providing an opportunity to keep the feet, cool. The plastic properties of animal skins further help mould the shoe to the foot beneath. The ability for leather to crease over flexor surfaces facilitate the function of the foot. Ironically synthetics used as uppers display elastic properties, which mean the shoe upper never quite adjusts to the foot, shape in the same way as natural leather. Synthetics are cheaper to mass-produce and are now found in most mass produced footwear. Synthetic uppers are more waterproof. Woven fabric such as cotton corduroy can be used as uppers. Classified as breathable fabrics these help aeration.

Shoes history period between 1921—1930

The 1920s were one of the most tumultuous periods of this century. With the Great War behind them, people found themselves swept away on a tide of change. Some reveled in it, some hated it, but the 20th century had truly begun. Women, celebrating such liberties as the right to vote in 1920, were now more daring than ever before. It was considered fun to smoke, visit speakeasies, wear makeup, swear, and otherwise shock conventional thinkers. Ever-shorter skirts (which reached their apex in 1927) were the rage, and young women strove to show off their knees with increasing abandon. Many girls (to the profound distress of their Victorian relatives) rolled down their stockings and painted rouge on their knees in an effort to emulate a "naughty schoolgirl" look.
Mass production and the development of affordable synthetic fabrics granted everyone access to beautiful clothing and shoes. The foot became a focal point of fashion. Shoe styles were influenced by crazes like the Charleston, a dance that demanded a securely fastened shoe with a low heel and closed toe. A single-bar pump with a pointed toe, high-waisted heel, and one tiny covered button was the most common style. High-tongued, cutaway-decorated, crossover, and t-straps were other popular elements.
The late 1920s saw the adoption of two-toned spectators for men, perfect with knickers. For women, the Art Deco aesthetic ushered in muted colors and geometric styling. The elegant styles of Coco Chanel and Madeleine Vionnet are also rooted in this era, though their influences would not be truly felt until later.

Shoes history period between 1911—1920

Events like the women's suffrage movement, the roots of Prohibition, and the Great Influenza epidemic of 1918 fundamentally changed American society. The RMS Titanic sank on her maiden voyage in 1912. Frank Lloyd Wright's Arts & Crafts movement began to take hold, and silent films featuring stars such as Charlie Chaplin and Mary Pickford were adored. World War I was definitely the most dramatic event of the Teens, but a number of other important things happened during this period, as well. Shoes and hosiery also became more exotic and colorful, most notably when Poiret commissioned the Perugia shoemakers to create a line of Eastern-style jeweled slippers. A variety of materials were used in shoe construction, including leathers mixed with colored canvas or gabardine to form two-toned "spectators." Some leathers were reversed to form suede and were used with a kid or patent finish. Both day and evening pumps were often decorated with removable buckles in cut steel, silver filigree, diamanté, or marcasite.

The period between 1901—1910

The year 1900 was not as exciting as 19th century millennialists might have hoped. The end of the world did not come. Shoe fashion didn't change a whole lot, either. The prim black boots of Queen Victoria's era did not fade away with her death in 1901; they continued with unabashed popularity for several more years. Skirts were, after all, still brushing the tops of women's feet. However, hemlines began to rise a few years into the new century, and the rest, as they say, is history ...The period between 1901—1910 is often called the Edwardian Era after Queen Victoria's successor, King Edward VII. Sophisticates of the day also referred to this time as the Belle Epoque, or "Beautiful Age," as there was a definite leaning toward classical aesthetics. Paris was the absolute leader of the fashion world, Picasso was in his blue and pink periods, the Wright brothers were making aviation history, and San Francisco was devastated by an earthquake in 1906. Photography reached a heyday and the first narrative film, The Great Train Robbery (1903), was released.

Foot Problems Can Be Prevented

For reasons that are difficult to fathom, many people, including a lot of older people, believe that it is normal for the feet to hurt and simply resign themselves to enduring foot problems that could be treated.
There are more than 300 different foot ailments. Some can be traced to heredity, but for an aging population, most of these ailments stem from the cumulative effect of years of neglect or abuse. However, even among people in their retirement years, many foot problems can be treated successfully and the pain of foot ailments relieved.
Whether due to neglect or abuse, the normal wear and tear of the years causes changes in feet. As persons age, their feet tend to spread, and lose the fatty pads that cushion the bottom of the feet. Additional weight can affect the bone and ligament structure. Older people, consequently, should have their feet measured for shoe sizes more frequently, rather than presuming that their shoe sizes remain constant. Dry skin and brittle nails are other conditions older people commonly face. Finally, it's a fact that women, young and old, have four times as many foot problems as men, and high heels are often the culprits.
Observing preventive foot health care has many benefits. Chief among them are that it can increase comfort, limit the possibility of additional medical problems, reduce the chances of hospitalization because of infection, and lessen requirements for other institutional care.
read more from APMA

Casual Shoes

Casual footwear comes in a wide variety of tastes. That's why we've organized all our casual shoes in this one, easy-to-browse category. Whether your looking for Boat Shoes, Loafers, Slippers, Sandals, or Women's Casual, and find Men's Casual Shoes, whatever, you'll definitely find it in this collection.
Blue jeans and a T-shirt have been described as the "casual uniform". With the popularity of spectator sports in the late 20th century, a good deal of athletic gear has influenced casual wear. Clothing worn for manual labor also falls into casual wear.

Adidas shop on the Champs Elysees avenue in Paris

A man looks at sports shoes during the first opening of the new Adidas shop on the Champs Elysees avenue in Paris, Wednesday Oct.25, 2006. The shop is sportswear maker Adidas' biggest store in the world.

Children receive their new shoes

Children receive their new shoe at 'Los Piletones' soup kitchen in Buenos Aires, Oct. 16, 2006 during the first 'Shoe Drop 2006'. Mycoskie flew down to Argentina last week with a team of 20 helpers to give away the first 10,000 pairs of Toms Shoes Alpargatas in soup kitchens, schools, and to homeless Guarani Indians in the Northern Argentine jungle. Since starting in March, Toms Shoes has already sold 10,000 alpargatas, the classic shoe of Argentine cowboys and ranchers, with a humanitarian hook: for every $38 pair sold, the company donates a pair to Argentina's poor.

Yahoo News

Dance: Red Shoes

Shoes and pain … oh, how they go hand in glove, so to speak. There's the misery of blisters, bunions and aching feet when every step in the high-heeled trophies conjures up memories of the Little Mermaid's speechless suffering when – all for love of a fella – she swops her tail for legs.Glass slippers – Cinderella. Ruby slippers – Dorothy, bravely striding along that yellow brick road. And the Red Shoes . . . that Hans Christian Andersen tale of demon dancing pumps that Powell and Pressburger would make into a classic film starring ballerina Moira Shearer.You'll doubtless find references to some of these iconic pairs of shoes in the new solo show from Kally Lloyd-Jones of Company Chordelia. For the Glasgow-based dancer/ choreographer and her collaborator, Michael Popper – another dance-maker known for a teasing, satirical sense of humour – aren't confining themselves to a re-telling of the Red Shoes story or film. Instead, they're going for the heart and sole of why shoes often lead us into the paths of passion, sacrifice and encounters with thick-skinned heels of the two-legged kind.

Hard to drive with two right shoes

EAGLE - Two right shoes on a woman's feet made wrong Oct. 29 when she got arrested for driving drunk in Eagle, according to an Eagle County Sheriff's report.

The woman parked along the shoulder of a road, where a deputy stopped her. The deputy smelled booze and saw she had watery, bloodshot eyes so he asked her to get out of the car.

The woman got out, and the deputy saw she was wearing two right shoes - one a black clog and the other a man's brown low-cut boot. The unsteady woman admitted to drinking two to three beers and a shot of Jack Daniels.

The deputy arrested her for drunk driving and other traffic violations.

vaildaily.com / News

The Toms Shoe team delivery shoes in the first 'Shoe Drop 2006'

Members of the Toms Shoe team delivery shoes in the first 'Shoe Drop 2006' at Buenos Aires soup kitchen 'Los Piletones' Oct. 16, 2006. Blake Mycoskie flew down to Argentina last week with a team of 20 helpers to give away the first 10,000 pairs of Toms Shoes Alpargatas in soup kitchens, schools, and to homeless Guarani Indians in the Northern Argentine jungle. Since starting in March, Toms Shoes has already sold 10,000 alpargatas, the classic shoe of Argentine cowboys and ranchers, with a humanitarian hook: for every $38 pair sold, the company donates a pair to Argentina's poor.

Anatomy of the shoe

According to McPhoil (1988) the anatomy of a shoe can be divided in an upper and lower (or bottom part). Sections of the upper include vamp, quarter, toebox, throat, insole board, and topline. The sections of the lower shoe consist of an outsole, shank and heel.

The Upper of the Shoe

• Vamp
• Quarter
• Toecap
• Linings
• Throat

The Sole of the Shoe

• Insole (inner sole)
• Outsole
• Shank
• Heel
• Welt

The History of Shoes: Shoe Making

Shoes both protect feet as well as, when incompatible in size and shape, present exciting factors in inflammatory conditions e.g. bunion. Despite the presence of pain, people are reluctant to change their footwear styles. The main function of modern footwear is to provide feet with protection from hard and rough surfaces, as well as climate and environmental exposure. To the wearer the appearance of their footgear is often more important than its (mis)function. Consumer resistance to change style is common. Informed decisions of shoe styles are thought to occur when the benefits of alternative shoe styles are carefully explained and footwear habits discussed in a culturally sensitive manner. The author, in the interests of intellectual exchange, explores the world of shoe making in an attempt to inform both lay person and health professional.

Glossary of Shoes

Browse through our online footwear dictionary to find the seven original shoe types * --from which all the modern styles derive--as well as the definitions of various other shoe styles and shoe parts.
Shoe:
Pronunciation: [shü]
Function: Noun
Date: 1881
Definition: Footwear shaped to fit the foot (below the ankle) with a flexible upper of leather or plastic and a sole and heel of heavier material.

How to measure your foot

While seated, place your foot on a piece of paper in front of you. With a pencil, trace around your foot. Hold the pencil as straight up-and-down as possible while measuring and be sure that your pencil remains in constant contact with your foot during this process. With a ruler, measure your tracing to determine your foot length and width.


Foot length
To find your foot length, measure the distance between the two longest points on your tracing. Reduce this number by 5 mm, or 1/5-inch. The result is your foot length and the number you will use to determine your shoe size. Tips 2 Toes sells shoes and boots in whole sizes only, so for example, if you measure a Size 7-1/2, order a Size 8.

Foot width
To find your foot width, measure the distance between the two widest points on your tracing. Reduce this number by 5 mm, or 1/5-inch. The result is the number you will use to determine your foot width. Use the chart below to determine your width. All shoes, sandals and boots at Tips 2 Toes are standard ("B") width and are available in whole sizes only..

Measurement tips

Take your measurements at the end of the day, when your feet are the largest, Wear the stockings you'll wear with your new shoes when you measure, Measure both feet and fit shoes to the larger foot, If you are doing the measurement by yourself, you will get more accurate results if you sit in a chair when measuring. Don't stand. If you have someone to help you take your foot measurement, standing is the best choice, You may take measurements in inches or centimeters. To convert inches to centimeters, multiply inches by 2.54.

Fit tips

Shoes that are too small are one of the major causes of foot pain and problems. Shoes that are too large can cause blistering and a lack of stability. Don't assume your shoe size is the same as it always has been. The shape of your feet changes over time.

In India the shoe was associated with special occasions

Feet and shoes hold a special place in religious and social life. As many people go barefoot most of the time in India, the shoe was associated with special occasions and high status. Only in the colder regions, such as Kashmir, Nepal and Bhutan are boots or shoes required for warmth and protection.

Within the confines of the geographical region, the religion, social status, and sex of the wearer Indian footwear shows an enormous diversity in styles and materials. These range from simple leather thong sandals, or chappals, to ceremonial padukas or toe-knob sandals made of silver, iron, and even ivory. In Northern India, the curled toe and open back is a common feature, as is the beautiful, intricate metallic embroidery, which today is still executed completely by hand.

Because the foot is considered an object of beauty and eroticism, much decoration and jewellery, including anklets and toe rings, is used to embellish women's feet. Likely because of their association with fertility and humility, feet and sandals also feature prominently in Hindu mythology.

The Bata Shoe Museum

Discover the treasures of North America's unique shoe museum. Over 10,000 shoes are housed in architect Raymond Moriyama's award-winning four-storey structure. The Museum celebrates the style and function of footwear in four impressive galleries. Artifacts on exhibit range from Chinese bound foot shoes and ancient Egyptian sandals to chestnut crushing clogs and glamourous platforms. Over 4,500 years of history and a collection of 20th century celebrity shoes are reflected in the semi-permanent exhibition, All About Shoes. Three other galleries feature special exhibitions. (Guided group tours are available by reservation.)

Your podiatric physician talks about RUNNING AND YOUR FEET

It is a good idea for a beginning jogger to visit a podiatric physician before starting an exercise program. Your podiatrist will examine your feet and identify potential problems, discuss conditioning, prescribe an orthotic device that fits into a running shoe (if needed), and recommend the best style of footwear for your feet.

Shoe choice should be determined by foot structure (morphology), foot function (over or under pronated or neutral foot), body type (weight), running envirnonment and running regimen. Keep in mind that all shoes have a different shape, and sizes and widths are not uniform from shoe to shoe.

Consider whether an orthotic device will be placed in your shoe, and whether your running style is flat-footed or on the balls of the feet. Shoes should provide cushioning for shock absorption, and ought to be able to fully bend at the ball of the foot area and remain stable in the midfoot. Visit the shoe store in the afternoon and wear the type of sock you plan to use while training.

The best socks are those made of moisture wicking material such as Coolmax ®, rather than being made of cotton.
Additional Information