Abstract des Autors

The athletic shoe, or "sneaker," as we called it only 15 years ago, is now largely extinct. We have been flooded with new terminology arising from the manufacture of high-tech sports equipment such as EVA, pronation, supination, and energy return, to name a few. The running shoe has been the driving force in the footwear boom beginning in the mid-1970s. Running as a sport became one of the most efficient methods of getting in shape. This incentive prompted major manufacturers to invest money, devoting research and development to industry. From this surge consumers benefit by improvement in the athletic shoe. Footwear today dramatically enhances comfort and performance for the modern athlete, regardless of his or her ability, or level of play. This chapter will give a basic understanding of the construction of a shoe, design and materials terminology, as well as how shoes differ from one another. Verf.-Referat