14 DAY TRIAL // Finding good shoes is a very troublesome business. Even if you manage to come across something you like on the outside, chances are that the inside will be somewhat uncomfortable. And there are those people who have abnormal foot conformations, which prevent them from feeling comfortable in any type of footwear available on the market, as most of these products are standardized in sizes. All major brands design their shoes based on aspect, and not on the comfort of the foot itself. Now, Temple University researchers James McGuire and Kendrick Whitney have created the first pair of scientifically researched shoes, using the latest physiological research in ankle and foot movements.
“Most shoes on the market today are designed by artists and not scientists who know something about how the foot works. Our goal was to enhance the way shoes are designed, by looking at research-based findings and put out a better shoe, one that's designed with both function and form in mind,” McGuire explains their initiative. The new type of shoes, suggestively dubbed R'n'R, for rest and recovery, is completely “user-friendly” and can easily adjust to any foot conformation. It is also the first model of footwear to be constructed by university-backed researchers and not by private companies.
“We want the foot to work normally, as if it was a bare foot, as nature intended. This shoe is designed to allow for a more natural function with enhanced comfort for a harsh environment,” Whitney adds. Currently, the R'n'R shoes are being produced by Creative Footwear Technology, which is a joint venture between the two Temple researchers and local entrepreneur Richard Posoff. Their products only use the latest innovation in footwear technologies and do not necessarily rely on traditional shoe-making methods.
The two experts criticize most shoes available today for placing too much strain on the Arch of the foot, which is something that nature has never intended. While designing the R'n'R, they have also kept in mind the fact that heel strike and push-off, the two most stressful parts of walking, are performed unnaturally in normal shoes. So, they have devised a new type of footwear that is capable of ensuring that the muscles that are meant to be involved in walking are, while at the same time reducing the amount of stress experienced by other parts of the foot.
“Creative Footwear Technology represents another example of Temple's commitment to support entrepreneurial efforts by its faculty. The company's partnership with our Office of Technology Transfer, Office of Strategic Initiatives and Corporate Partnerships, the Fox School of Business and BioStrategy Partners demonstrates how society can benefit when industry and academia work together in applying scientific findings to solve real-life problems,” Temple Senior Vice President for research and strategic initiatives Larry Lemanski concludes.