UNDERSTANDING THE ANATOMY OF THE HUMAN FOOT

FORM, FUNCTION AND WHY THE FOOT'S ARCHITECTURE DETERMINES HOW A SNEAKER MUST BE BUILT

THE HUMAN FOOT CONTAINS 26 BONES, 33 JOINTS AND OVER 100 MUSCLES, TENDONS AND LIGAMENTS. IT IS ONE OF THE MOST COMPLEX STRUCTURAL SYSTEMS IN THE BODY, AND ONE OF THE MOST DEMANDING IN TERMS OF WHAT WE ASK OF IT.

THE THREE ARCHES OF THE FOOT DISTRIBUTE WEIGHT, ABSORB IMPACT AND STORE ELASTIC ENERGY WITH EVERY STEP. THE MEDIAL LONGITUDINAL ARCH RUNS ALONG THE INNER EDGE FROM HEEL TO BALL AND IS THE MOST VISIBLE AND STRUCTURALLY SIGNIFICANT. THE LATERAL LONGITUDINAL ARCH RUNS ALONG THE OUTER EDGE. THE TRANSVERSE ARCH RUNS ACROSS THE METATARSALS AT THE BALL OF THE FOOT. WHEN A SNEAKER IS BUILT CORRECTLY, IT SUPPORTS THESE STRUCTURES WITHOUT RESTRICTING THEM. WHEN IT IS BUILT POORLY, IT WORKS AGAINST THEM.

THE HEEL BONE, OR CALCANEUS, IS THE LARGEST BONE IN THE FOOT. IT ABSORBS THE INITIAL IMPACT OF EACH STEP AND TRANSFERS FORCE FORWARD THROUGH THE ARCH. THE METATARSALS, THE FIVE LONG BONES OF THE MID FOOT, BEAR THE BODY'S WEIGHT DURING THE PUSH OFF PHASE OF WALKING AND ARE THE MOST COMMON SITE OF PAIN CAUSED BY AN ILL FITTING SNEAKER. THE WIDTH OF A SNEAKER AT THE BALL, DETERMINED BY THE LAST, DIRECTLY AFFECTS HOW THE METATARSALS ARE LOADED. THE TOE BONES, OR PHALANGES, PROVIDE BALANCE AND PROPULSION. EACH OF THESE STRUCTURES HAS SPECIFIC NEEDS THAT A CORRECTLY MADE SNEAKER MUST MEET.

MOST MASS PRODUCED SNEAKERS ARE BUILT ON LASTS DESIGNED FOR SILHOUETTE RATHER THAN FUNCTION. THE BALL WIDTH IS NARROWED. THE TOE SPRING IS MISCALCULATED. THE HEEL PITCH DOES NOT ACCOUNT FOR THE SOLE THICKNESS. THE RESULT IS A SNEAKER THAT THE FOOT MUST ACCOMMODATE RATHER THAN ONE THAT ACCOMMODATES THE FOOT.

AT 1812, UNDERSTANDING FOOT ANATOMY IS CENTRAL TO HOW LASTS ARE DESIGNED AND MATERIALS SELECTED. A SNEAKER THAT FITS CORRECTLY DOES NOT SIMPLY FEEL COMFORTABLE. IT PERFORMS IN ALIGNMENT WITH HOW THE FOOT IS ACTUALLY STRUCTURED.