Orthotics: Ergonomics Booklet

ORTHOTICS NICHOLAS JIMENEZ

DSID - 126 Ergonomics of Design | Professor Guenther

TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction Problem

The Product Objective Website

Method of Testing

User Test Card 5 Concept Themes

Concept 1-5 Prototype Build & Test

Final Descriptions

Test Plan

Building Materials

Materials and Supplies

Exploded Views

Orthographic Drawing Testing Results & Refinement Summary

Team Meeting Summary

Testing Results

Refinement Summary

Retail Packaging

In Use Model Conclusion

PROBLEM Arch support is often a lacking feature in most of todays training and compeition running shoes. You will be purchasing insoles from a give website.

THE PRODUCT Insoles are a seperate shoe iteam you can buy to accomodate persistant foot pain.

OBJECTIVE Arch support is often a lacking feature in most of todays training and compeition running shoes.

You will be purchasing insoles from a give website. Internalize your own experience and research accordinly. *For non-runners - use this example if you have flat feet and want more comfort while running buy an insole that would help aliviate your pain.

WEBSITE This is a website you will be visitng today.

Type: www.drscholls.com

METHOD OF TESTING Simple sentences to simple questions: On the next page you can answer the question with one word or a short answer responces while you navagate the website.

If you would like to pass you may and responce at the end of the experience.

TEST PLAN QUESTIONNAIRE Task 1: Non-runners

Task 2: Runners

what are you looking for?

Have you heard of this brand?

What type of comfort or relief?

Can you name any other brand that offers inserts/insoles?

what makes you trust a brand/website?

Are the colors and Text size harsh?

how do you feel about this?

Is the information listed misleading in any way?

are you likely to follow physician’s advice?

What is the first button/ menu you would click on? WHy?

do you like the images used, do they make sense?

What makes you trust a brand/website?

what is a reasonable price for you?

Does the product offer a detailed description?

were there enough options?

Are you likely to follow physician’s advice?

was there a product that perfectly suited your needs?

Do you like the images used, do they make sense?

would you actually buy this product?

What is a reasonable price for you?

Were there enough options?

Was there a product that perfectly suited your needs?

Would you actually buy this product?

What was the final product you chose?

PERSONAL QUESTIONNAIRE How often do you go out running?

Do you run on a treadmill or outside?

If you run outdoors, on what kind of terrain?

Do you use insoles?

Do you know what kind?

USER TEST CARD How was your experience?

Convinient or cumbersom?

On a scale from 1 to 10 what how would you rate it?

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 What is your over all opinion of this brand?

What would make this website more effective?

Do you have any suggestions?

Did this website save you money or give you the illusion of doing so at any point?

What did you gain, if any?

Have you learned anything new about insoles today?

If so , what?

5 CONCEPT THEMES

An exploration into what potentially can improve a runners performance.

INITIAL IDEATION

IMPROVEMENT OPPORTUNITIES Insoles can be designed for a much more specific area of training or competition. the amount of arch support, heel padding, and foot support are three areas that can be improved upon.

ERGONOMIC DETAILS Arch Support

• Consists of three varying degrees of plastic to achieve a distinct flex Heel Padding

• Consists of three varying degrees of get, foam to achieve to adsorb foot impact

• Offer Foot Support

• Add a rigid plastic bass to the bottom of the insert to hold foot properly in place to

avoid damaging one self

WORK FLOW • Iteration will influence sketches, concepts and ideation. • Mock-Ups will focus on only one of the three potential areas specified in the ergonomics section (arch, heel, foot support).

TEST PLAN In order to bring focus insoles will be tested on running beginners who have little to no prior knowledge about what is needed in shoe insoles. (Depending on what final direction in theme is selected changes will be made to the test plan.)

Test will be conducted as Follows 1. Participants will run 400m

a. with insole 2. Inset/ Remove 3. Inset/ Remove heel padding untill the required support it met 4. Insert/ Remove padding on arch until proper support is met 5. Repeat steps 1- 4

b. without insole

TRAINING & COMPETING ASPHALT / PAVEMENT During this type of competition runners experience a tremendoud amount of pressure and fatigue in their lower bodies (hips tendons, knees, ankle, and feet) due to the heavy amounts of strees caused by the hard surface.

GOAL: This product would not only reduce the amount of stress received by running on a hard surface, but would be a more suitable alternative for a beginner due to the security it would bring for his/ her needs.

• A mid-level arch support

• 3 - 4 Levels of cushinning support

• A flexible “fiber glass” structure to act as a foot springboard

BEACH TRAINING / SAND RESISTANT TRAINING The main focus for this theme is for a runner to work out their feet to gain foot strength and allows the muscles in their feet to become fatigue resistant.

GOAL:

This product would require the athelete to understand that there are three levels of surfaces on when running on sand each with their benefits and drawbacks. These insoles would be a shoeinsert-hybrid.

• A mid-level arch support

• Grips for running in the sand

• A cupping of the back heel and pocket for the front toes

• Velcro straps (Removable)

HIKES & TRAIL RUNNING CROSS COUNTRY COMPETITION It is not uncommon for a beginner at the sport to run heel first, role their ankles on trail runs or simply stepping into a whole. The points of strain are the archs, the heels, and the balls of feet.

GOAL: This product would require the athelete to understand that there are three levels of surfaces on when running on sand each with their benefits and drawbacks. These insoles would be a shoeinsert-hybrid.

• A rigid arch support to aid in shock absorbtion

• Different levels of cushin to target specific pressure points

• A concave structure to keep the insert in place

• Velcro straps (Removable)

TRACK & FIELD / SHORT DISTANCE TRAINING Although the length of the final competition is very short, training requires a shoe comfort for the entirity of the training regimin. The athelete will need support for their arch, front foot, and heel due to the high level of stress on their lower body.

GOAL: This product would require the athelete to understand that there are three levels of surfaces on when running on sand each with their benefits and drawbacks. These insoles will be thin enough as to not interfear with the shape of a shoe but rather bring support while trainning.

• A rigid arch support to aid in shock absorbtion

• 1 - 2 levels of cushin to target specific pressure points

• A concave structure to keep the insert in place

• Velcro straps (Removable)

SPEED WALKING This type of training requires the runner to have their entire foot, or no less than 1/3 of their foot to be incontact with the running surface. This will require a much more cushining for their foot to avoid injury.

GOAL: This product would require the athelete to understand that there are three levels of surfaces on when running on sand each with their benefits and drawbacks. These insoles will be thin enough as to not interfear with the shape of a shoe but rather bring support while trainning.

• A rigid arch support to aid in shock absorbtion

• 4 - 5 levels of cushin to target specific pressure points

• A concave structure to keep the insert in place

• Velcro straps to hold inplace inside shoe. `

PROTOTYPE BUILD & TEST PLAN

TRAINING & COMPETING ASPHALT / PAVEMENT During this type of competition runners experience a tremendoud amount of pressure and fatigue in their lower bodies (hips tendons, knees, ankle, and feet) due to the heavy amounts of strees caused by the hard surface.

GOAL:

This product would not only reduce the amount of stress received by running on ahard surface, but would be a more suitable alternative for a beginner due to the security it offers:

• A mid-level arch support

• 3 - 4 Levels of cushinning support

• A flexible arch structure to act as a foot springboard

TEST PLAN In order to bring focus insoles will be tested on beginner runner who have little to no prior knowledge about what is needed in shoe insoles.

The selected terrain will be on hard surface running such as asphalt, concrete, and pavement.

Test will be conducted as follows: 1. Participants will run 400m

a. Using a plain flat insole

b. Record pressure points of the foot.

2. Participants will run 400m

a. Using a plain flat insole

b. Inset/ Remove additional padding where pressure accumulates

c. Inset/ Remove heel padding until the required support is met

d. Insert/ Remove padding on arch until proper support is met 3. Pressure point will be determined using an over the counter Dr. Scholl’s foot analyzer

BUILDING MATERIALS Considering the vast arrange of materials available for mast production insole, materials will be selected by their resemblance to those same materials found in a store bought insole.

(Cotton Fabric, Polyester Fabric, Gel, Foam, and Padding) Prototype will be made from: 1. Foam

a. 3 Levels of thicknesses

b. 3 Levels of softness and 2. Gel

a. 3 Levels of thicknesses

b. 3 Levels of softness and firmness 3. Padding

a. 3 Levels of thicknesses

b. 3 Levels of softness and firmness 4. Fabric

a. Cotton Fabric

b. Polyester Fabric,

MATERIALS & SUPPLIES

FLAT INSOLE

REMOVABLE PADDING Heel Support

Arch Support

Front Foot Support

ORTHOGRAPHICS 2.5 in

3.5 in

3.5 in

3.5 in

0.75 in

4 in

0.85 in

10.5 in

6.5 in

3.25 in

2.25 in

0.85 in

TESTING RESULTS AND REFINEMENT SUMMARY

TEAM MEETING SUMMARY Points of Discussion

• Why was the model broken into three segments?

• Interchangeable Components

• Types of test subjects Concerns

• The prototypes looked incomplete or complicated to use

• The amount of padding may require material inaccessible for me

• How was the input going to be used to prove that my insole was improving a runners

performance?

Adjustments

• A test was made to confirm/gain insight into the runners which requires focus on each

individual part.

• Materials were sufficient to mimic over the counter insole

TESTING RESULTS A total of 6 prototypes were used to test subjects rated on a scale from 10 to 1 10 being imense pressure and pain to 1 being no pressure or pain.

1. Base Model - Flat 1/4” thick piece of foam with a medium firmness - 5

2. Forefoot Model - Flat 1/4” thick piece of foam with a medium firmness, and an addition gel pad - 3 3. Heel Support - Flat 1/4” thick piece of foam with low firmness and foam heel - 4 4. 3/4 Length Insole - Foam with high firmness foam heel, with regid plastic outer shell - 2 5. Arch Support - 3 1/2” long piece of arch support with padding - 9

REFINEMENT SUMMARY Although specific prototypes where not adequate in their support and lacked the durability that over the counter insoles held, the final model had necessary adjustments made to it.

In conclusion, the design of the final model consist of a firm heel padding, with three layers of foam padding through out the insole. The first top layer is cloth life, the middle layer is a more medium firm padding enabling the user a more intuitive foot running motion. The bottom layer offers extra support and elevation of the insole to fit the inside of a shoe.

RETAIL PACKAGING

IN USE MODEL

CONCLUSION

CONCLUSION What sets apart this insole is the amount of padding that is located in each of the three areas of the foot. This insole is specifically design for beginner runners due to the amount of gel and foam padding in the heel and forefoot. Due to the likelyhood that they may run flatfooted or heel-first stance-- this insole takes this into account and offers a premium support to lower the risk of plantar faciitis (shin splints).