Shoe Material Effects on Foot Temperature During Treadmill Running

Abstract

Running shoes are made from a variety of materials such as leather or mesh. Material type and assembly likely impact on foot heat dynamics during running. The purpose of this study was to investigate how foot temperature during running was modulated by different shoes. All protocols were approved by the Drake IRB (ID 2009-10088). Eleven male subjects (21.6 ± 1.7 yrs) completed four 10-minute running trials at self-selected but constant speeds on a treadmill in four different running shoes (two mesh and two leather). Foot temperature was recorded at two sites on top of the right foot arch (against the skin and between the sock and shoe) for the 10 minutes during running and 5 minutes of resting recovery post-running. Heart rate and subjective ratings of perceived comfort and heat were recorded throughout. There were no statistical differences in foot heat accumulation during running between the shoes. During the 5 minutes post-exercise, three of the shoe models accommodated heat dissipation whereas foot temperature in the fourth model significantly increased during rest (all 39 p<0.031). Temperature was always greater at the skin site versus the sock site, but fluctuation patterns between the two sites were congruent. Subjects rated the mesh shoes as more comfortable than the leather shoes (p=0.016); curiously, however, there were no differences in heat perception across shoes (p=0.184). These results suggest that (a) shoe material influences foot heat dynamics during and immediately after running and (b) subjects’ perceptions of foot temperature may not coincide with actual foot temperature.