In the long run, our daily routine is crucial so let’s talk about what we do here and what is needed to stay in good shape. Why? Because today is The International Day of Sport for Development and Peace! Many of us run but did you know that those of us who do it put pressure on the ground mainly with our forefoot? (The unsupported phase lasts about 20% of the running stride period; this is the time when your feet are not touching the ground at all.)

This means that there is little or no heel pressure when running. The heel pressure shouldn’t be too strong – if you are not careful the leg will not amortize it and you will eventually get injured!

How can foot pressure be measured? Thanks to our Orthopiezometer! It is a measuring shoe insert with 8 sensors installed in places corresponding to the anatomical zones of the foot. It can be inserted in any sports shoe. Its thickness does not exceed 4 mm, and in one of the developed solutions, it is as thin as just 2 mm.

Interestingly, the calibration of the sensors takes place once during the construction of the insert. This fundamentally differs from the solutions available on the market; those usually require calibration every few measurements. This is the case with another similar system, which additionally costs 17,000 euros!

The insert developed by our researchers (led by Ewa Klimiec, PhD) will be incomparably cheaper as soon as it hits the market. This will enable each and one of us to check for ourselves whether the pressure of our feet while running is correct and thus avoid unnecessary pain. After all, sport is good for your health… and it should stay that way!