FitFlop Research
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FitFlop sandals were created in a collaboration between Bliss Spa founder and one-time personal trainer Marcia Kilgore, and biomechanists Dr David Cook and Darren James at London South Bank University (LSBU). FitFlop footwear features patent-pending muscle-loading Microwobbleboard™ technology and was independently tested at Salford University in Manchester by Dr Philip Graham Smith & Richard Jones to verify their pro-muscle activity prior to launch. Research is continuing with Salford University with a government-funded Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) with a full-time researcher, Carina Price. FitFlop has also been approved by the American Podiatric Medical Association - APMA. |
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| "FitFlop footwear has the potential to alleviate planter foot pain and ease symptoms (like heel spur pain and planter fasciitis) by reducing forces and distributing them over a larger area" Carina Price, KTP Key Researcher (1) Research was undertaken as part of an ongoing two-year UK Government funded Knowledge Transfer Partnership with the University of Salford's research team to understand the biomechanical benefits of FitFlop footwear. Data was collected on 20 healthy female subjects using the Medilogic in-shoe pressure system. Each subject walked wearing pressure insoles in FitFlop sandals and the high-street flat pump. FITFLOP FOOTWEAR CAN HELP REALIGN FORCE THROUGH THE BODY: Wearing FitFlop footwear can also realign ground reaction force towards your core, helping alleviate back, pelvis and knee stress.(2) |
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| (2) Biomechanist Dr Philip Graham and Richard Jones at Salford University have identified that gait analysis techniques (motion analysis, forces, electromyography and in-shoe pressure analysis) can provide us with an insight as to how the Microwobbleboard™ multi-density midsole is responsible for alleviating a host of muscular-skeletal conditions. Subjects were fitted with small reflective markers and electrodes, photographed and filmed while walking to monitor movement. This information was used to create an animation of a skeleton walking in exactly the same way as the subject. These preliminary findings form part of a two year UK Government funded Knowledge Transfer Partnership to research the biomechanical benefits of FitFlop Microwobbleboard™ technology. FITFLOP FOOTWEAR CAN HELP INCREASE THIGH AND BOTTOM MUSCLE ACTIVITY(3) |
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| (3) When compared to a control shoe. Case studies were performed on Microwobbleboard™ technology over a forty-eight month period by Dr David Cook, Senior Lecturer in Biomechanics, and Darren James at the Centre for Human Performance at London South Bank University (LSBU). |
