Study Finds Custom Shoes Do Little to Prevent Injury
Promises of extra stability, motion control and added cushioning can be found in footwear advertising everywhere. However, does that pledge of added protection actually pan out?
A group of doctors including several from the U.S. Army and Navy decided to find out.
In June, The American Journal of Sports Medicine published their study that took a closer look at injury prevention based on shoe customization. They wanted to know if specialized shoes sold by footwear manufacturers really worked.
For the experiment, they outfitted 722 Marine Corps recruits in shoes—one group received specialized shoes based on arch height among other factors, and the control group laced up the same stability shoe. For the following 12 weeks, recruits were observed via the Defense Medical Surveillance System.
The results? The doctors found little difference in injury risk between the groups.
"Simply measuring the foot morphology with (this type of) technique is not sufficient for prescribing footwear if your objective is to prevent injuries," Dr. Bruce Jones, an investigator on the study at the U.S. Army Public Health Command, told Reuters Health.
While one study alone can't completely dispel customization based on plantar shapes, it certainly makes you think twice before buying footwear solely based on that type of technology. Your best bet? Select boots that feel the most comfortable on your feet.
(Image via Wikimedia)
11 Military-Inspired iPhone Apps
Last April Newsweek wrote that the iPod Touch and iPhone were quickly becoming the preferred handheld device to assist deployed soldiers. Although the Pentagon would not disclose how many iPods were on the ground, it’s evident by the growing number of military apps that many in uniform are making good use of Apple's popular toys.
C-17 Duty Day Calculator - $.99
Know when you should put down the bottle? Or when your scheduled takeoff should be? The C-17 Duty Day Calculator does. Made for active duty, reserves and guard crew members, the application will show you each and every duty day limitations.
iSurvive - $1.99
Soldiers often find themselves in life or death situations. While some circumstances escalate quickly, and there’s no time at all to pull out an iPhone, iSurvive provides an exhaustive guide for those moments when you can. Its nine chapters cover evasions, navigation, radio communications, recovery, medical, personal protection, water, food and induced conditions.
U.S. Military Handbook - $9.99
Your pocket guide to all things military starts here. This app features reference material that covers everything from base pay to fitness and testing matrixes. The latest version includes base information for CONUS/OCONUS on a scrollable map.
BulletFlight - $29.99
Turn your iPhone into a ballistics calculator, created (and used in Iraq and Afghanistan) to assist snipers in hitting a target from up to 1,000 yards away. Its bullet database boasts most major brands, and the program utilizes the device’s built-in accelerometer, which is able to detect your angle for improved accuracy.
PerDiemCalc - $.99
Perfect for temporary-duty assignments, this per diem calculator will keep your spending right on track. It can be used for one-day trips or longer journeys and includes seasonal per diem rates.
US Military Acronyms and Abbreviations - Free
Released just last week, this pint-sized guide to abbreviated words is great for decoding all sorts of jargon. With it, you’ll know more military terminology common within the DOD (Department of Defense) than you’ve ever imagined possible.
Fart Army - $.99
Considering how many fart apps there are out there, this one was bound to happen. Touting itself as “just not another boring Fart Machine iPhone App,” Fart Army can sputter unfortunate, yet funny noises that sound like air rockets, bazookas, machine guns, mess calls, sonar, sleeping soldiers and more. To hear samples of these and others, view the Fart Army promotional video below.
Recession Boosts Military Enrollment
Although economic hard-times haven’t been so great for some, the U.S. Military's recruitment office is riding a wave of success. Actually, this year will mark the first time it’s been able to meet enlistment goals since 1973, when the United States put an end to the draft.
The AFP reports that the military’s recipe for success was high unemployment (the largest group of out-of-work Americans in 26 years) mixed in with a multi-billion dollar campaign to attract potential recruits.
The U.S. Army saw the biggest surge—beating its goal of 65,000 by 5,045—while the U.S. Navy (35,500), U.S. Marine Corps (31,400) and U.S. Air Force (31,980) exceeded its goals by 27, 13 and three, respectively.