title: The Development of a Custom Built Portable Impact Testing Device for Assessing the Cushioning Properties of Athletic Socks.
abstract: Despite manufacturer claims that athletic socks attenuate force during exercise, no device exists to assess this. Therefore, this study outlines the development of a custom built impact testing device for assessing the cushioning properties of socks. The device utilised a gravity driven impact striker (8.5 kg), released from 0.05 m, which impacted a no sock, sock or a basic shoe/sock condition in the vertical axis. A load cell (10000 Hz) assessed peak impact force, time to peak impact force and loading rate. Reliability was investigated between day, between trial and within trial. Excellent reliability (coefficient of variation < 5% adjusted for 95% confidence limits) was reported for peak impact force in all conditions, with no evidence of systematic bias. Good reliability (coefficient of variation < 10% adjusted for 68% confidence limits) was reported for time to peak impact force and loading rate with some evidence of systematic bias. It was concluded that the custom built impact testing device was reliable and sensitive for the measurement of peak impact force on socks.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Health, Exercise and Sport Science, Southampton Solent University, Southampton, UK.
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Blackmore
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jessop
authors.forename: Stewart
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bruce-Low
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Scurr