DEFINING FOOT COMFORT
of the fluid equalises pressure at the surface contacting the
foot. In this way, the bursa-like LiquiCell sac is said to
resemble the natural response of the body when mechanical
loads on bone and muscle tissue become too high.
This is still a comparatively new technology but is being
increasingly used in footwear. At 1mm thick, the sacs are so
thin they can be used in a wide range of shoes and
incorporated into a variety of components including
insoles, heel counters, straps, tongues and vamps.
Furthermore, they can be applied using adhesives, stitching
or by compression moulding.
After-sales heel pad versions are also available which are
designed to reduce internal muscle and soft-tissue damage by
relieving stress within the muscle, increasing blood flow and
absorbing impact. They come in the form of self-adhering
liquid-filled urethane capsules to fit any shoe and footbed
combination. The aim is once again to also reduce shear force.
In this instance it refers to the parallel movement between the
foot and the shoe which, combined with the friction occurring
between these two surfaces, is the number one cause of foot
blisters as well as sores and general discomfort.
CORRECT FIT
One problem that does not arise by going barefoot is that
of ill-fitting footwear. We can buy expensive shoes
containing all the technology possible to increase comfort
and foot health, but if they do not fit properly, all is wasted.
The vast majority of people fail to have their shoes properly
fitted mostly, it is sad to say, due to the fact that very few
retailers continue to provide such a service.
There are of course self-measuring systems around but
then again, how many people know how or when to measure
their feet? For example, they may well get the length right but
what about the girth measurement or fit around the heel, both
of which are fundamentally important? Furthermore, how
many think to measure their feet at the end of the day rather
than the begining? Depending on what one is doing, feet can
grow surprisingly in both length and width during the course
of the day. Ask any woman after a long day’s shopping
whether her shoes feel tight. Foot comfort is a complex
subject but it helps to get the basics right in the first place.
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LiquiCell metatarsal pad.