Abstract
This study was conducted to determine what effects would the midsole hardness of running shoes have on shoe flex angle and maximum propulsive force. Furthermore, the relationship between the shoes flex angle and maximum propulsive force was elucidated in order to provide basic data for developing running shoes to improve sports performances and prevent injuries. The subjects employed in the study were 10 college students majoring in physical education who did not have lower limbs injuries for the last one year and whose running pattern was rearfoot strike pattern of normal foot. The shoes used in this study had 3different hardness, shore A 40(soft), 50(medium) and 60(hard). The subjects were asked to run at a speed of $4{\pm}0.08m/sec$, and their movements were videotaped with 2 S-VHS video-cameras and measured with a force platform. And the following results were obtained after analyzing and comparing the variables. 1. Although the minimum angle of shoes flex angle was estimated to appear at SFA4, it appeared at SFA2 except in those shoes with the hardness of 40. 2. The minimum angle of shoes flex angle was $145.1^{\circ}$ with barefoot. Among the shoes with different hardness, it was the smallest when the hardness was 50 at $149.9^{\circ}$. The time to the minimum angle was 70.7% of the total ground contact time. 3. Maximum propulsive force according to midsole hardness was the largest when the hardness was 50 at $1913.9{\pm}184.3N$. There was a low correlation between maximum propulsive force and shoes flex angle.