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Shoepaedia: Key Running Shoe Terms ExplainedIn-depth explanations and diagrams to help you understand more about how running shoes are constructed |  | |||||||||||
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Collar Ever notice how the collar, or the part of the shoe that fits around your ankle, is lower on one side? This is because the bone on the outside of your ankle is lower than the one on the inside. Because the collar's job is to fit snugly under the ankle bones, it's always asymmetrical. No two ankles are the same, so a collar's fit isn't always perfect. This is why you should look for a collar made of a soft material, like memory foam, without any stitching or seams that can irritate the skin. Also, lacing your shoes differently can help lock a loose collar around your ankle. Here are five lacing techniques to improve your shoe's fit.
Decoupled Heel This split design in the heel works like a car's independent suspension to isolate the initial strike zone at the back of the shoe from the rest of the sole unit. This design improves a shoe's shock-absorption capabilities by reducing the impact forces travelling from the heel to the rest of the outsole and midsole. The latest running shoes achieve this function by using column-like pods in the heel to act as individual shock absorbers. Since 80 per cent of runners land on their heels first, decoupled heels have become a popular way to enhance a shoe's cushioning.
Footbridge A reinforced platform under the arch between the heel and the sole that prevents the shoe from bending in the middle. The footbridge, or shank, supports the foot between the heel of the shoe and the forefoot and supplies torsional rigidity to prevent the shoe from twisting easily under landing pressure (excessive twisting can lead to runner's knee and other joint alignment injuries). To test the torsional rigidity of a running shoe, hold it at the heel and toe with both hands and try to twist the sole from side to side in opposite directions. The harder it is to twist the shoe in the middle, the more stable its foundation and the better the torsional rigidity.
Gait pattern cycle Heelstrike Footstrike Toe-off
Heel Counter As the part of the shoe that aligns the foot as it strikes the ground, the heel counter should cradle the heel but not be so stiff that it irritates the lower ankle. Its primary job is to support the heel and keep it secure in the shoe, which is particularly important since 80 per cent of runners strike the ground on the outside of the heel, with the foot twisted slightly outward. If the heel counter doesn't do its job, this angled footstrike can cause the foot to move and compromise the shoe's support. In motion-control and stability shoes, the heel counter commonly reaches further down the inside of the shoe to help control overpronation.
Impact Force When your foot hits the ground, the force that travels through the leg is about 2.5 times your body weight. To absorb this shock, the body reacts in several ways, including pronating and flexing at the hip and knee. In runners with a normal footstrike, the force of impact is concentrated on the outside of the heel. The foot rolls inward (pronates) toward the arch to absorb the impact. Then it rolls outward, and the force travels forward toward the ball of the foot as the runner toes off. Shoes often utilise shock-absorbing foams and design features, such as independent heel lugs, to absorb, isolate and disperse impact force.
Laces Laces are what most people older than eight and younger than 80 use to secure the upper of a shoe around their feet. Velcro is a distant second. Laces come in different lengths, according to the size and design of the eyestay and eyelet pattern. They are the only component of the upper that gives you direct control of a shoe's fit, so experimenting with different lacing techniques can often improve the overall comfort. Previously made from cotton, today's shoelace is constructed from long-lasting polyester thread, giving manufacturers more lace-construction options. Laces shaped like sausage links, for example, are less likely to come undone.Last A last is the foot form that a shoe's upper is built around, giving the shoe its shape. It's the single biggest factor that determines how a shoe fits, so knowing what goes into the design of these dense plastic moulds will give you a better idea of how your next pair should feel on your feet. Heel to Toe Heel to ball Ball girth Top-line length Collar height
Outsole As the shoe's bottommost surface, the outsole supplies traction and durability. Outsole designs vary greatly, but they are commonly constructed from carbon rubber, the same material used in car tyres. Shoemakers also commonly use blown rubber (rubber that contains more air) in the forefoot of outsoles because it provides better cushioning at the expense of some durability. Since it's the initial point of impact, the outsole often includes features like decoupled heels and footbridges that assist in the overall cushioning and support. Every running-shoe outsole functions in a similar way, yet looks a little different because most manufacturers have a signature tread pattern in each line of shoes.Overlay Pretty much anything that is stitched or bonded to the upper, though the term most commonly refers to the reinforcing strips that provide structure to the shoe. The famous adidas stripes were adapted from the three leather overlays that wrapped around the company's early athletic shoes. Overlays can be used to decorate running shoes in the same way and are often made from reflective materials to increase a runner's visibility at night. Most of the time they are stitched to the upper but can be welded on to reduce the amount of thread that can irritate the skin. This is the reason stitched overlays are often backed with fabric over common blistering and chafing hot spots on the foot.
Sockliner Since shoes are mass-produced to fit a wide variety of foot shapes, manufacturers use these removable foam footbeds to cover the seams and gaps in a shoe's construction, conforming it more comfortably to the bottom of your foot. There isn't much to most sockliners, so if you're looking for ways to improve your shoe's fit, you might consider replacing them with a more substantial footbed. Before you do this, however, make sure your shoe provides the essential support, cushioning and fit you need, since no other element is going to add what isn't there to begin with.Improved fit More cushioning Corrective aid More stability
Tread Tread is the part of the outsole that comes in direct contact with the ground. On road-running shoes, treads supply cushioning while giving the shoe a bit of added traction. Runners often refer to these small raised treads as waffles (left), in reference to the first popular Nike outsole created by Bill Bowerman with the help of his wife's waffle iron. On trail shoes, where traction is more important than cushioning, the raised treads are called lugs (right). Lugs are often deeper, with straight edges rather than the more rounded edges found on road shoes. These may be moulded as an integral part of the outsole or encapsulated in another material to form a separate unit.
Upper In the most basic terms, the upper is the top part of a shoe that encases the foot. It's made from a soft, breathable mesh that gets stretched around a foot form - or last - to mould it into shape. This mesh is reinforced with more durable material and moulded plastic that holds the foot in place. Here's how all the individual pieces of the upper determine how your running shoes feel on your feet. 1. Laces 2. Tongue 3. Overlays 4. Collar 5. Vamp 6. Saddle 7. Eyelets 8. Heel counter | ||||||||||||
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