Hygienic Study on Shoes Part 1 : Effect of Shoe Materials on Wear Comfort and Microclimate Between Shoes and Skin

Abstract

The effect of shoe materials on wear comfort and microclimate between shoes and skin while exercising has been studied using natural, synthetic and artificial leather. Temperature and absolute humidity in synthetic leather shoes were higher than those in other two leather shoes. Temperature in natural and artificial leather shoes were about the same but absolute humidity in natural leather shoes was lower than that of artificial leather shoes.
Measuring points were, in the higher order of temperature and absolute humidity, between the first and the second toes, on the skin surface at the arch of the foot and on the socks at the arch of the foot.
The four kinds of subjective sensation in connection with wearing synthetic leather shoes were the highest and those wearing the other two shoes were about the same. The effect of temperature and absolute humidity between the first and second toes on those subjective sensations was very high.