title: Assessing the performance of winter footwear using a new maximum achievable incline method.
abstract: More informative tests of winter footwear performance are required in order to identify footwear that will prevent injurious slips and falls on icy conditions. In this study, eight participants tested four styles of winter boots on smooth wet ice. The surface was progressively tilted to create increasing longitudinal and cross-slopes until participants could no longer continue standing or walking. Maximum achievable incline angles provided consistent measures of footwear slip resistance and demonstrated better resolution than mechanical tests. One footwear outsole material and tread combination outperformed the others on wet ice allowing participants to successfully walk on steep longitudinal slopes of 17.5° ± 1.9° (mean ± SD). By further exploiting the methodology to include additional surfaces and contaminants, such tests could be used to optimize tread designs and materials that are ideal for reducing the risk of slips and falls.
authors.affiliation: Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University Health Network, 550 University Avenue, Toronto, ON M5G 2A2, Canada; University of Toronto, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, 5 King's College Road, Toronto ON M5S 3G8, Canada. Electronic address: Jennifer.Hsu@uhn.ca.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.affiliation: Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University Health Network, 550 University Avenue, Toronto, ON M5G 2A2, Canada.
authors.forename: Yue
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University Health Network, 550 University Avenue, Toronto, ON M5G 2A2, Canada.
authors.forename: Tilak
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dutta
authors.affiliation: Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University Health Network, 550 University Avenue, Toronto, ON M5G 2A2, Canada; University of Toronto, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, 5 King's College Road, Toronto ON M5S 3G8, Canada.
authors.forename: Geoff
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fernie
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control; D000328:Adult; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D017276:Friction; D005684:Gait; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012621:Seasons; D012775:Shoes / Q000592:standards*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Footwear; Slip resistance; Slips and falls