Find the best material to make the shoelace for a pair of running shoes.

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Introduction

I will study the properties of materials and consider how these properties affect the choice of materials for particular sports footwear. I will be investigating:

  • Grip

 Density and Floatation

 Weathering and Chemical Corrosion

 Resistance to Wear

 Strength

 Stiffness

 Collisions

        

Properties required for footwear

Heel Height

The heel height of a running shoe is another viable in a fitting.  Athletes with short calf muscles or a history of Achilles tendonitis should look for the highest heel available. So if somebody can't easily touch their toes from a standing position they should benefit from increased heel height.

Heel Counter 

The heel counter is found in the back part of the shoe.  It functions to provide support for the heel bone on ground contact.  The counter should be as rigid as possible.

Shock Absorption

A training shoe should provide as much protection to your foot as possible.  The shock absorption layer should provide good cushioning, without completely collapsing.  It may be difficult to determine how good a shoe absorbs shock without running in it.  Athletic magazines run these tests on shoes, and are good for referring information about training shoes.

Sole flexibility

The front part of the sole (where the foot bends) should be flexible. Too stiff a sole means wasted effort. If you cannot flex the sole easily, the sole is not flexible enough.

Toe Box

Adequate space in the front part of the shoe provides room for the toes to flex during the propulsive phase of running.  If the toe box is too low the toes bang and scrape against the top of the shoe, leading to blisters, broken toenails and bruised toes.

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Inner Cushioning

The shoe must also have ample inner cushioning.  This provides for proper shock absorption.

Arch Supports

Many athletes are concerned with arch support, but what most shoe companies advertise as arch supports (small foam pads) are not functional.  Some shoe companies have included ‘orthotic type’ foam inserts in their running shoes.  While these are better than foam supports, they still are a long way from being functional orthotics. There is simply no way to mass-produce an arch support that will fit everyone’s arch.

Choice of sports footwear

There are many different types of sports ...

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