Tye Lee Tze Podiatrist
SMAS Grand Ward Rounds Nov 2018
1 Anatomy of a Running Shoe
All Running Shoes Have:
• Upper • Midsole - midsole material - cushioning systems - stability components - midfoot stability 3. Outsole 2 Midsole
▪ Materials ▪ Cushioning Systems ▪ Stability component (for stability& motion control shoes) ▪ Midfoot stability (links rearfoot to forefoot) ▪
3 MIDSOLE MATERIALS
4 Midsole Materials Brand Midsole Materials
Adidas Boost, litestrike
Brooks DNA Midsole, BioMoGo DNA
Mizuno U4iC, U4iCX
On Cloud Zero Gravity Foam
Reebok Float Foam
Saucony SSL EVA 5 Midsole Materials (Adidas) Boost • Created with BASF • Thermoplastic Polyurethane Foam • manufacturing process similar to making dashboards in cars • heat-steams individual pea size foam capsules together. • allegedly outperforms traditional EVA in terms of energy return?, cushioning, durability. • Can withstand more extreme temperature conditions. 6 Midsole Materials (Mizuno) U4iC • EVA midsole compound rides and cushions like Mizuno’s AP+ but 30% lighter. U4iCX • Light EVA midsole compound allegedly providing a more comfortable cushioned ride and higher rebound
7 Midsole Materials (Brooks) DNA Midsole • Polymer Strands linked in chains • Highly Viscous non-newtonian fluid • reacts differently to different forces DNA Amp • Soft naturally expanding foam encapsulated in a skin that resists horizontal expansion. DNA Loft • Blend of EVA, Rubber, & air. • Released 2018
BioMoGo DNA • EVA midsoles that degrades 50x faster than traditional EVA. • 2009
8 Midsole Materials (On Cloud)
Zero Gravity Foam • High Grade EVA Midsole
9 Midsole Materials (Reebok)
Floatride Run • Made from Pebax (same material used in Nike Vaporfly, Mizuno Wave Plate) • Blown into a foam. Allegedly lighter, more impact resistant, greater energy return.
10 Midsole Materials (Saucony)
SSL EVA • Saucony SuperLite EVA
11 CUSHIONING SYSTEMS
12 Cushioning Systems Brand System
Adidas Boost
Brooks Super DNA
Mizuno Cloud Wave, Parallel Wave, Infinity Wave, Fan-Shaped Wave. On Cloud CloudTec
Reebok Floatride
Saucony ProGrid, Everun 13 Cushioning Systems (Adidas)
Boost
14 Cushioning Systems (Mizuno) ▪ 1997 (December) ▪ Wave formed thermoplastic plate inserted in midsole that can “tune” the midsole to the required bending stiffness. Conventional shoe midsoles materials (EVA, PU) are difficult to tune the required stiffness for the whole area of the midsole. ▪ Bending stiffness can be controlled from material properties, thickness, amplitude and wave length. ▪ Wave formed plate can change the deformability of the midsole for each direction ▪ Wave formed plate can change the bending stiffness for each bending direction. 15 Cushioning Systems (Brooks) DNA Midsole
DNA Amp
DNA Loft
16 Cushioning Systems (On Cloud)
CloudTec • Hollowed tubes known as clouds that expand on impact to transfer the vertical forces to the horizontal and then the as the foot goes from heel contact to mid stance and propulsion the clouds tighten for propulsion. • Similar to the Adidas A3
17 Cushioning Systems (Reebok) Floatride Foam • made from Pebax (same material used in Wave & Nike Vaporfly) • blown into foam. • Pebax is lighter, more flexible, more impact resistant, greater energy return and when blown into foam it retains these characteristics.
18 Cushioning Systems (Saucony) PowerGrid • Powerfoam material integrated in the GRID technology. • ProGrid • 20% more responsive than standard EVA
GRID ▪ Ground Reaction Inertia Device ▪ Small cassette made up of interwoven Hytrel elastomer that is inserted into a gap hollowed out in the heels ▪ When runner’s heel impacts the interwoven Hytrel strings bend to the shape of the heel absorbing shock. At the same time the midsole compresses. Thus cushioning and stability. ▪ GRID moved to iGRID moved to Active GRID 19 Sound Familiar?
The Mizuno Wave base plate absorbs and dissipates impact forces, providing excellent cushioning.
On’s intelligent CloudTec® cushioning takes the first heavy blow off the street a full midsole of EVERUN sits between your foot and the ground, for the ultimate in soft landings
Floatride Foam has a consistent cell structure that delivers the seamless integration of cushioning and responsiveness
20 STABILITY COMPONENTS
21 Stability Components
Brand Stability Adidas Boost
Brooks Guide Rails, Rounded Heel
Mizuno Fan Shaped Wave
On Cloud CloudTec
Reebok EVA Support Rim
Saucony Dual Density SSL EVA, medial TPU post 22 Stability Components (Adidas)
Boost
23 Stability Components (Brooks) Guide Rails
24 Stability Components (Mizuno)
Fan Shaped Wave
Different Wave heights to provide different stability & cushioning properties.
25 Stability Components (On Cloud)
CloudTec
26 Stability Components (Reebok)
EVA Support Rim
27 Stability Components (Saucony)
Dual Density SSL EVA
28 Midfoot Stability
• Midfoot components are needed to link the rear foot to the forefoot and allow normal torsion of the rear foot to occur independently of the forefoot during the gait cycle.
• In the past there was emphasis on mid foot stability components eg. DuoTruss, Space Trusstic (Asics), Stability Web (NB), TPU Midfoot Shank (Nike) however now there is less emphasis on these individual components (or at least the names) and more emphasis on the cushioning systems and energy return.
29 Uppers
Brand Uppers Adidas Adaptive Primeknit upper, Tailored Fibre Placement (TFP) Brooks Intuitive Fit Knit
Mizuno Aero Hug
On Cloud V moulded heel, Dual density Sockliner. Reebok Figure 8 Flexweave
Saucony Engineered mesh, Iso Fit lacing30 Uppers
Many of the uppers comprise of a one piece elasticised sockliner (adaptive knitted upper). Designed to provide a snug fit and move as the foot moves. The preference of these adaptive uppers over the traditional upper is personal. For those with bunions, other foot deformities, and feet that tend to increase in volume during a run these adaptive uppers may not be advantageous as they may cause undue friction. 31 Uppers
Many Brands now have an exoskeletal thermoplastic reinforcement either at the heel cup (eg. GeoFit Frame - Adidas), Reebok’s Floatride Run has a thermoplastic cage around the midfoot of the upper, Nike Flywire. 32 Uppers Others use textile placement to provide different areas of support, stretch & flex zones
ARAMIS & eg. Adidas Tailored Fibre Placement (TFP), Mizuno AeroHug,
TAILORED FIBRE PLACEMENT
• Through Aramis research we can identify where runners need support, stretch and flex zones.
• With TFP we can be even more specific on a yarn level to influence the yarn properties that provide precise lightweight support.
• Like Aramis, TFP technology has been applied in the automotive and aerospace industries and adidas is pioneering this technology with the application to performance footwear.
33 OUTSOLES
34 Outsoles
Brand Outsoles Adidas Continental Traction Compound Soles, Transition Stretchweb. Brooks 3D Hex Lugs, Arrow point pattern
Mizuno G3 , SensorPoint On Cloud Extended low abrasion rubber pads
Reebok Ripple Rubber Outsole
Saucony Vibram
35 Outsole (Adidas)
Transition StretchWeb STRETCHWEB: allows smoother transitionSTRETCHWEB: as Transition is how the shoe theTransition stretch isweb how isthe very shoe adapts when it is moving. flexibleadapts when it is moving. combined with the Boost - shears on impactallows (when you the land) flexand Stretchweb pointsallows to for the shears on impact (when you land) and Stretchweb allows for the movement and shearing to happen. it uses the energy given from the movement and shearing to happen. it uses the energy given from the runner and puts the energydiffer back intoat thedifferent midsole when areas you transition of runner and puts the energy back into the midsole when you transition through the gait. the foot during propulsion. through the gait. Stretchweb is very flexible like . The flexibility allows for a smoother transition throughoutalso the run provides by providing a lowergreater sole angle medial velocity when Stretchweb is very flexible like . The flexibility allows for a smoother landing. stability as the medial side transition throughout the run by providing a lower sole angle velocity when Through Aramis research we have learned that flex points (when toeing landing. off) are different in everycan runners’ be feet made due to the less varying flexible.different lengths of their toes. The flexibilityThere of is a andstretch Stretchweb weballows esp for the Through Aramis research we have learned that flex points (when toeing runners feet to move naturally and without restriction. off) are different in every runners’ feet due to the varying different lengths Neutral Stable By closing the Stretchwebfordesign women we reduced runners the flexibility on the medial of their toes. The flexibility36 of and Stretchweb allows for the side guiding the foot to provide stability and a smoother transition. runners feet to move naturally and without restriction. Neutral Stable By closing the Stretchweb design we reduced the flexibility on the medial side guiding the foot to provide stability and a smoother transition. Outsole (Brooks) iBR+ • lightweight but durable outsole rubber
3D Hex Lugs
37 Outsole (Mizuno) X-10 • Carbon Rubber compound used for high wear areas SensorPoint • Suspension system that uses studs for added traction. SmoothRide • Grooves on the outsole that ensure a smooth
ride. 38 Sound Familiar? On’s patented CloudTec® technology is engineered to deliver a soft landing followed by an explosive take-off. The result? An unbelievably light running sensation.
Brooks DNA is an innovative and uniquely adaptive cushioning system. By adapting to your specific weight, pace, gait and running surface, DNA offers customized cushioning and adds a spring to your step.
A new advanced cushioning material that is lighter, absorbs shock and with its fast rebound properties, keeps the transition smooth and fast.
It combines comfort and returns energy at take-off thus gives an excellent running experience. The BOOST™ cushioning is softer and returns more energy than the conventional EVA. 39 Summary
▪ Don’t get blinded by “Science”
▪ There’s nothing new under the sun. eg:
40 Summary ▪ All Running shoes comprise of - Midsoles - Uppers - Outsoles
▪ They just have different names for the different companies but they are all designed to do the same thing.
a lightweight shoe which provides exceptional cushioning & excellent energy return translating into a more cushioned, responsive, faster ride.
▪ there are differences and the choice of shoe is not dependant on the technologies alone but what the individual runner requires. ▪ What works for one runner may not necessarily work for another.
41 Shoe Weights 2009 vs 2018 2009 2018 Adizero LT 209 g Adidas Sub 2 160 g Nike Zoom Elite 266 g Wave Emperor 3 190 g Adizero Tempo 295 g Adidas Prime Parley 221 g Asics GT 2120 305 g Reebok Floatride Run 232 g Mizuno Wave Rider 320 g On CloudFlow 233 g Reebok Premier Road 323 g Adidas Solar Boost 272 g Saucony ProGrid Guide 323 g Saucony Liberty ISO 275 g NB 768 340 g Brooks Adrenaline GTS 283 g Asics Gel Kinsei 368 g Mizuno Wave Rider 21 290 g Saucony Hurricane 374 g Brooks Levitate 2 317 g Asics Kayano 24 320 g
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