Influence of foot, leg and shoe characteristics on subjective comfort

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationships between foot a nd leg characteristics, shoe characteristics, and the short-term subjective comfort of three different pairs of athletic shoes. Static measurements of foot dimension and leg angles were taken from eighteen subjects. Subjects rated the comfort of three different athletic shoes for standing, walking a nd running. The shoes were quantified by internal dimensions, hardness, fle xibility and torsional stiffness. Average comfort ratings decreased from st anding to walking to running. One shoe seemed suited for only a small group of subjects. In contrast, another shoe was generally comfortable for a lar ge group. Skeletal alignment, specifically eversion angle, was related to c omfort for one shoe. Therefore, fit of the shoe is not sufficient for comfo rt. Skeletal alignment, shoe torsional stiffness and cushioning seem to be mechanical variables which may be important for comfort.