Abstract
Footwear requires some functions to prevent the injuries and enhance the performance during various sports. Motion analysis is important to decide the functions. Using a force plate is an effective way to carry out the analysis quantitatively. Ground reaction forces can be obtained from a force plate during the contact phase. However, contact condition at any position of contact area cannot be specified because the ground reaction force is showing the reaction force of the whole contact area. The purpose of this study was to measure in- and out- plane loading distributions of shoe sole. In order to detect the distributions, a specific shoe loaded with 5 force sensors was developed. Then, by using the shoe, in- and out- plane forces in running were measured at specific positions of the shoe sole. As a result of this measurement, the behaviors of component forces were completely different in each contact area. It implies that contact loading conditions are different at any positions of the shoe sole.
