Abstract
We established a method for measuring and evaluating sliding frictional behavior between shoes and the anterior portion of the foot during walking, by studying the gradual change in sliding frictional length. (1) A piece of carbon paper was placed on top of a piece of white paper to make a two-sheet type sensor. This sensor was used to determine the amount of sliding friction by measuring Y% of carbon transferred to the white paper. (2) The total frictional length Ln by a simulator was calculated using the equation Ln=2nl (l : stroke, n : number) by Y%. This is therefore a valid method for measuring Ln (cm) by Y%. (3) Using a simulator for sliding frictional behavior, we calculated Ln for the model involving muscle distortion. We could obtain the effect of wearing stockings on Ln. (4) When a subject walked barefoot or in stockings, the Ln, which was calculated on 4 parts of the anterior of the foot, defined the characteristics on each part.
