IMPROVING ERGONOMIC SHAPE USING 3D FOOT SCANS

by INSITE | Nov 17, 2022 | Product Design, Science and Technology

The Value of a Foot Scan

What’s the value of a foot scan when it comes to ergonomic shape? A lot.

We know ergonomics are important because it means your footwear is designed with specific human factors in mind. Your customers look for ergonomic footwear to support their lifestyle and activities, but what about the insole?

Customers often seek aftermarket insoles to meet anti-fatigue or comfort needs, but there is a way to wrap those ergonomic benefits into your footwear line out of the box. It all starts with a foot scan.

Test subject with sensors attached to legs and feet

The Connection Between Ergonomic Shape and 3D Foot Scans

3D foot scans provide valuable information about human factor data (how people move during specific activities) and biomechanics (the way muscles, tissue, ligaments, and other elements of the foot are impacted by specific movement).

The type of data and information from these foot scans is obtained through a series of movement tests.

Pressure Mapping: Identify and reduce hot spots and redistribute pressure detected on the insole, resulting in reduced gait impact.

Psychometric Testing: Quantify the wearer’s levels of perceived comfort while wearing an insole.

3D Motion Capture: Track the body’s center of mass while in step to better understand human movement and how to support balance.

This data is then analyzed and applied to insole designs to create a truly ergonomic insole that can alleviate the shock and stress placed on the foot during everyday activities.

How Does Ergonomic Shape Benefit Wearers?

Footwear customers look for ergonomic insole solutions all the time to add greater comfort, performance, and support to their shoes.

Test subject near screen with foot mapping data

INSITE insole shapes are made with comfort in mind. The result is an insole that fits 85% of wearers, meaning footwear brands can provide a superior shoe right out of the box – no aftermarket insoles necessary to achieve the level of comfort and support your customers are looking for. From athletes to workers on their feet all day, ergonomic shape is critical for several reasons.

Absorbs stress and shock from everyday activities, allowing for faster recovery and more comfortable movement.
Alleviates some of the pressure caused by standing or walking for long periods of time by conforming to an individual’s movements within their environment.
Offers greater support for individuals with plantar fasciitis, flat feet, or very high or low arches.
Helps prevent injury by reducing stress on the foot that can come from long-term or repetitive activities, and helps prevent the advancement of existing injuries.

Ultimately, an ergonomic insole allows your customers to do more, for longer, more comfortably – in your footwear.

How We’re Doing It

At INSITE, we’ve conducted more than 120,000 3D foot scans for the exact purpose of designing insoles with optimal ergonomic shape. The result is an insole that fits 85% of wearers with out-of-the-box comfort, performance, and support.

In addition to our 3D foot scans, we also utilize plantar pressure analysis as part of our ProvenComfort testing methodology. This technique allows us to visually map underfoot pressure in real time during various activities to identify “hot spots” and reduce discomfort.

As a result of this scientific and technological approach to insole design, we’ve been able to design insoles for the way people really move, whether they’re playing golf, working a long restaurant shift, or walking their dog every day.

3D foot scan data combined with biomechanical insole testing has led us to create a patented data-driven shape algorithm for a truly ergonomic insole. With INSITE insoles in your footwear, your customers can wear their shoes without being held back by discomfort.