Just noticeable difference in running shoe midsole cushioning properties
Engineering of Sport 15 - Proceedings from the 15th International Conference on the Engineering of Sport (ISEA 2024)
The midsole component of a running shoe is typically made from a polymer foam and the desired properties can be achieved by altering the material compound and topology. The primary function of the midsole is to cushion the impact forces generated as the foot contacts the ground. Impact drop testers are commonly used instruments to assess the cushioning properties of the heel and forefoot regions of running shoes. Understanding how changes in mechanical properties are perceived by users could be beneficial to footwear manufacturers, enabling more targeted product testing. Visual analogue and point scales have been used to investigate user perceptions of shoe properties, however, sensory discrimination tests (e.g., paired comparison tests) have been found to have increased sensitivity. Paired comparison tests showed improved correspondence than scale measures comparing perception ranking to impact test results. A just noticeable difference in max impact shock of 1.4 g was found. The aim of this study was to assess the just noticeable difference in shoe cushioning properties using a sensory discrimination test.