OHK Footlab

23/03/2018

Lower Extremity Pathology

Calcaneal Apophysitis

Calcaneal apophysitis is a painful condition that affects the growth plate of the calcaneus in young athletes in the 8–15 year age group. Pain is experienced with running and jumping activities in a variety of sports such as basketball, baseball, and soccer. Pain can be reproduced with the squeeze test, applying medial and lateral calcaneal compression to the heel. This condition is related to tight posterior muscle group and plantar fascia. Foot types which can be associated with this condition include forefoot varus (compensated or partially compensated), forefoot supinatus, flexible forefoot valgus, or a compensated equinus or transverse plane deformity. With regard to athletic shoes, a negative heel and poor heel counter can contribute to the problem, as well as poor cushioning of the shoe.

16/03/2018

16/03/2018

14/03/2018

Breakthrough by Brooks

The Brooks Company began in 1914 by making ice skates and cleated shoes. During the running craze in the 1970s, the company flourished in the running shoe market.
In 1974 Jerry Tuner called a chemical engineer who introduced the light, shock absorbing material of ethylene vinyl acetate, more commonly known as EVA, to anxious customers.
For decades running shoe companies have been dueling to make a better shoe and perhaps a bigger profit, but it wasn’t until researches became involved that shoes were able to evolve once more to deliver maximum performance.

13/03/2018

The Modest Beginnings of the Nike Shoe Empire

University of Oregon track coach, Bill Bowerman, knew what he wanted in a running shoe, and he even created shoes for his track team members because his understanding of running form and shoe construction presented higher standards than those set by the current market. In 1964 Bowerman joined forces with one of his ex-athletes, Phil Knight, and began a small shoe company called Blue Ribbon Sports that made a line of shoes with the Tiger shoe company in Japan. Bowerman and
Knight were extremely busy, so through the extra efforts of Jeff Johnson, a former collegiate runner at Stanford, the Tiger Marathon and Roadrunner became the most popular running shoes on the market in 1967. The Tiger Marathon had a light
rubber out sole with a separate heel and forepart, including a reverse leather upper. In 1967 they continued to modify the running world as they offered all nylon uppers.
Johnson created the idea of a continuous mid sole by removing the out sole of the Tiger shoe and replacing it with a shower slipper with an outer layer of rubber. In 1972 Tiger and Blue Ribbon Sports separated over distribution disputes.
Fortunately, the American following of Bowerman and Knight’s did not falter with rubber out sole with a separate heel and forepart, including a reverse leather upper. In 1967 they continued to modify the running world as they offered all nylon uppers.
One of Knight’s students at Portland State College and the appropriate naming of Nike for the winged, Greek goddess of victory from Jeff Johnson’s dream, this fresh company was able to continue production by establishing a deal with one of Tiger’s
competitors. Further changes in their shoes occurred as Bowerman and a colleague, Jeff Holister, used urethane and a waffle iron to construct extremely light running shoes. Since its conception, the Nike Company has dominated the shoe
world and continues to strive for perfection.

12/03/2018

New Balance and Intelligent Design

William J. Riley founded the Riley Company, the predecessor to New Balance, and began crafting shoes in the New England area in 1906. In 1961 the new owner of New Balance, Paul Kidd, took the experience he had gleaned from making orthopedic
shoes, poured his knowledge into a running shoe, tested it scientifically, and invented the first modern running shoe, the New Balance Trackster. Due to interest by runners, New Balance modified its Trackster by increasing the heel height,
adding a continuous outsole, and placing a wedge of rubber under the back part of the heel. As the aerobic revolution began in 1968, New Balance extended its grasp on the sports shoe arena and Americans were encouraged to walk away from the
couch and start exercising. In response to the need for dual usage, New Balance introduced the Speed Star that was designed to be worn on and off the track.

12/03/2018

Tiger Shoes and ASICS Join the Chase

Onitsuka Co. Ltd. started constructing shoes in 1949. At the 1951 Boston Marathon a young, Japanese runner by the name of Shigeki Tanaka won the coveted race and
displayed the Tiger shoes as he crossed the finish line. This shoe was designed with the traditional, Japanese shoe, the Geta, in mind and had a separate compartment for
the big toe. The shoe with the divided toe box could only be worn by Japanese athletes with a large space between the first and second digits. Eventually, the shoe company known as Tiger became ASICS, which is a Latin acronym for “healthy
mind in a healthy body.”