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Getting
the Boot (3)
Written by Adrian Lim
Cradled in
Comfort
Function is not the only factor determining shoe design. With all the
running and kicking done by players over the course of a soccer game,
comfort and safety compose a major portion of players needs. By improving
the comfort and safety of a shoe, players can focus their attention on
the game with confidence in the construction of the boot.
The traditional soccer
shoe made in the early nineteenth century focused on providing protection
for the foot because the first versions of the game involved much more
physical contact than seen today (Kippen). Shoes of that time extended
above the ankle to provide ankle protection and were often manufactured
using heavier, thicker types of leather to provide further protection
for the rest of the foot (Kippen). As the game evolved towards reduced
physicality and increased emphasis on speed and skill, the shoes began
to lose the ankle protection. With regard to comfort and safety, design
initiatives became focused on improving the smaller sized boot we are
familiar with today. Two important features, the sole and the surrounding
structure, contribute a great deal to the overall comfort and safety of
the modern soccer boot.
As the interface between
the foot and the ground, the sole's function is to protect the foot and
maintain players comfort by absorbing the shock of repeated impact with
the playing surface. To serve this purpose, shoe manufacturers insert
cushioning into the sole of the shoe. This cushioning resembles the typical
shock-absorbing, man-made materials used in running and athletic shoes,
but is designed on a smaller scale to be more weight efficient. Engineers
analyze data from pressure sensors to determine the ideal amount of cushioning
that provides optimum protection and energy dissipation without compromising
the performance characteristics of the shoe. Although manufacturers typically
fix the amount of cushioning, Adidas offers a shoe with three exchangeable
soles featuring different characteristics, so the shoe's chassis can be
chosen to best suit the needs of individual players (Adidas.com).
Just like a good ballet
shoe supports the dancer, the structure of the soccer boot supports the
player. The close, glove-like fit of the soccer boot helps it provide
protection at the critical locations. The heel counter at the rear of
the boot helps to cradle the heel and lock the foot in place (feetrelief.com).
Running shoes generally have heel counters embedded within the shoe's
heel padding, whereas modern soccer boots often have them on the outside
of the heel. The external heel counter provides much more rigid support
with increased fit and impact protection for the heel. The lacing system,
another important element of the shoe structure, helps to secure the boot
to the foot. In addition to improving ball contact, the asymmetric lacing
system employed by some companies also helps improve comfort by moving
pressure away from the top middle of the foot—an area
that can be particularly sensitive.
The Nike Air Zoom
Total 90 III soccer boot has been designed as the world's most comfortable
boot according to the company (Nike.com)- and although this statement
may or may not be true, the shoe definitely showcases a variety of technologies
intended to assist in increasing comfort. To begin, the outside of the
shoe features asymmetrical lacing and an external heel counter, elements
common in modern soccer boots. Additionally, the Total 90 has a sole that
incorporates two types of cushioning derived from running shoe technology.
The mid section of the sole features a compressed foam material specifically
designed for shock-absorption and distribution of pressure, and the heel
of the sole features a Zoom Air cushion that provides lightweight, supplementary
cushioning. The shoe also features support bars that run from the front
to the back of the shoe. This structural strengthening helps provide greater
rigidity as well as stability during flexing (Nike.com).
The impetus for this
innovative technology came from a desire to create sophisticated products
to help athletes. For assistance, engineers at Nike often call upon high-speed
cameras that capture information from soccer kicks over 30 times faster
than typical consumer cameras, thereby allowing engineers to meticulously
examine every mechanical detail of even the simplest of soccer movements
(Nike.com). This data, combined with results from pressure measurements
taken outside and inside the shoe, provides engineers with a complete
picture of the human-shoe interaction.
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