Effects of two kinds of sports shoes with different structure on thermoregulatory responses.

Abstract

The present experiments were carried out to clarify the effects of two different kinds of shoes, i.e., the standard shoes and the mesh shoes, on thermophysiological responses and clothing microclimates (temperature and humidity) in five female students during rest and walking in the field conditions. Main results were summarized as follows: 1) Skin temperatures in instep, sole and leg were kept lower in the mesh shoes than in the standard shoes. 2) Rectal temperature and heart rates were also kept lower in the mesh shoes than in the standard shoes. 3) Questionnaires disclosed that the subjects wearing the mesh shoes felt less damp. These findings were discussed in terms of thermal physiology. The mesh shoes seemed to be more effective for both the dry and wet heat loss from the feet to the surroundings, resulting in the inhibition of increase in the core temperature.