Does shoe design really affect an athlete's jumping height?

By: Holly Davis

Introduction

• I’m testing the affect shoe design has on an athlete’s jumping ability. I’ve always wondered if I had a different designed shoe, would I be able to jump as high as I’m able to with THESE pair of shoes. I’ll be testing the difference in the weights, cushiness, and the shoe flexibility.

Background Info.

• Feet actually were healthier and caused less problems at the time when shoes were non-existent. Having shoes now though is more sanitary, but scientists found wearing shoes with bad soles and inserts can be hard on our bodies. Lighter shoes have shown to be easier to jump off of and easier to run faster. Heavy shoes weigh athletes down and slow them.

Hypothesis

• I think the design of the shoe will affect the height someone jumps because of the cushioning, and the weight of the shoes or flexibility. I am thinking that the shoe with the least weight, most flexibility, and cushioning, will be the easiest to jump off, and get the highest vertical jump.

Materials

• 4 pairs of different designed shoes

• Vertical measuring unit

• Pen and pencil

• Paper

Procedure

• Have 4 female athletes measure their vertical barefoot, then have them measure their vertical with a different pair of shoes on for 4 times. The girls will jump a total of 3 times, and I will take the highest vertical they got to put it towards the results. I then will make a graph to show visual evidence on how the process worked.

Variables

• Dependent: How high the person will jump

• Independent: Type of shoe the jumper is wearing

• Control: Barefoot jumping

Results (In inches)

• Sarah Stallings- No shoe: 17, Nike frees:22, Mizuno: 20, Moccasins:17

• Jessica Ricker- No shoes:15, Nike frees: 16, Mizuno:16, Moccasins: 14

• Erin Anderson- No shoes:14, Nike frees: 14, Mizuno: 14, Moccasins: 12

• Jessica Thorpe- No shoes:14, Nike frees:13, Mizuno: 15, Moccasins: 14

Conclusion

• I found that having no shoes is easier than having a weight that you have to hold up, like the moccasins. You’re focused on trying to keep them on so you’re jumping height is higher. Also, the lighter the shoe (a tennis shoe, laced) the higher they jumped. Jumping with no shoes was closer to the height of with shoes rather than to moccasins.

Major Observations

When they had laced shoes on they definitely jumped freely and as high as possible. It was harder to jump with the moccasins because they had to jump while trying to grip the shoes to get them to stay on their foot ad not fall while they jumped.

Possible Causes of Error

• Testing on different days

• Clothing, (Jeans, Shorts)

Further Research

Finding videos or reports on verticals with light or heavy shoes.

Time Spent!

• 21 hours

Acknowledgements • Thank you Sarah, Jessica, Erin, and

Jessica! Also, thank you Mrs. Riffel for letting me take class time to test!