3 minute read
PREVENTION AND SPORTS SHOES
SPORT PODIATRIST
– Paul Griffin –
Australian podiatrists Simon Barthold and Paul Griffin developed an innovative shoe tailored to the sport of hockey for the Belgian-based hockey brand Osaka: the Ido Mk1. Tests in the Belgian Runners' Lab showed that this shoe offers numerous advantages for hockey players. We caught up with Paul Griffin, who explains what makes the Ido Mk1 so special.
Mr Griffin, why is a good sports shoe so important ?
Athletic footwear is an essential part of sports equipment that can have an impact on a number of areas, such as player comfort, performance and possible injury prevention. The ‘holy grail’ is conceptualising and developing for better performance, reducing the risk of injuries and increasing the athlete’s self-confidence. However, we should not blindly and exclusively link sports shoes to injury prevention. After all, injuries are a very complex matter, with various influencing factors.
In what ways does the hockey shoe you have designed differ from other sports shoes ?
Developing sports shoes requires a very good knowledge of the mechanics of the foot and the lower limbs, combined with an understanding of the game of hockey and the unique movement patterns involved. Hockey has never received the attention it deserves in terms of footwear. Players often resort to using ‘trail running shoes’, mainly because of some common features such as grip. Behind these shoes, however, is a completely different idea. For example, they are specifically designed for undulating terrain with varying density, where hockey is played on a flat, consistent surface. Hockey also requires more attention to dexterity patterns, such as sharp changes of direction when moving at speed or running backwards. We make the difference by putting these nuances into design, engineering and material science. The Ido is the very first hockey shoe to have a durable anatomic structure. The shoe is built around the shape of the foot. The impact on the athlete’s comfort and performance is considerable. In hockey we want to make sure that the hockey player feels connected to the ground. We can significantly increase performance and reduce the risk of injury by reducing related joint moments. This, combined with a strategic decoupling of the midsole, ensures that the foot can work optimally. This conclusion was confirmed during our tests at Runners’ Lab, where we compared competitors’ hockey shoes with the Ido. The results were very positive!
And what is the feedback you get from the users ?
There are other features that subtly alter shoe behaviour, such as rounded outsole edges and smart midsole geometry that affect joint kinematics. Recently I had contact with the chairman of a big club in Australia, who also used to play hockey at a high level and is still active today. He told me that thanks to the Ido, he had been able to play without knee pain for the first time in three years. The light weight and exceptional grip are also strong assets, according to him. All users note that the shoe feels different, but in a good way. And to be honest, we would be disappointed if it felt the same as any other ‘hockey shoe’. This reflects our efforts to build the 1% factors into the shoe.
What future plans are there on the work table ?
There is no doubt about it: we have set the new benchmark! Other brands will take up to two years to catch up with us and we already have some interesting things in the pipeline for next year. Our mantra ‘the athlete comes first’ still carries the most weight in our design, concept and development decisions, and we will work closely with our users to ensure that we maintain our lead over the rest of the pack.
