Gait kinetics impact shoe tread wear rate.
Sarah L Hemler, Jessica R Sider, Mark S Redfern and 1 others
PMID 33735824WHAT IT FOUND
Walking with higher shear force at the shoe-floor interface was linked to faster wear of slip-resistant shoe tread.
Tread wear can reduce friction and increase slip risk, so gait may help guide when shoes need replacing.
Key findings
01Peak shear force was positively associated with shoe tread wear rate (F 1,14=5.4, p=0.037).
02Peak RCOF was positively associated with wear rate, and a 0.1 increase in RCOF was associated with a 93.0% increase in wear rate.
03Peak normal force and outsole Shore A hardness were not associated with wear rate.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
Only 14 participants and 23 pairs of shoes were analyzed, so the findings may be unstable. Shoes were worn mainly on indoor surfaces, so results may not generalize to outdoor wear. Participants worked in varied industries, which introduced differences in movement and workplace conditions. Shoe type and material composition varied, and the study did not separate all brand or material effects. Only right shoes worn for at least 100 km were analyzed, so very low wear or left-foot patterns were not assessed. The study measured tread wear and friction-related variables, not slips or falls.
Declared interests
The authors declared no known competing financial interests or personal relationships.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as proof that individualized shoe replacement prevents slips or falls. The study measured wear rate and force patterns, not fall outcomes, and the associations were observational.