In a Fee Hall lab sits a pile of running shoes. Nike, Reebok, Asics and Adidas pile as far as the eye can see as technicians run two shoe design and testing research labs.
The Orthopaedic Biomechanics Laboratories were developed to test different types of shoes. Since then, the labs' technicians have helped to develop new shoe technology for running shoes, work shoes, army boots and high heels.
Roger Haut, director of the lab, uses a variety of machines to test the strength, stability, stiffness and durability of various types of shoes.
Haut, who helped to develop the lab's equipment, said the machines are useful for a variety of reasons.
"They can tell you what happens when you put a person of a certain height and weight into a particular shoe," he said.
The machines simulate wear in an objective manner, allowing researchers to learn how the average person's body would react to a shoe.
Companies across the nation use MSU's shoe-testing facility to evaluate their products.
Ray Fredrickson, president of Sport Biomechanics Inc. runs an independent shoe-consulting firm. Shoe manufacturers come to Fredrickson to help them develop ideas. Fredrickson uses MSU's labs to run mechanical testing on the shoes while he gets subjective feedback from people who wear the shoes and evaluate them.
The 1990 MSU graduate said information from the mechanical testing is critical in developing aspects of clients' shoes.
"In that way, the lab is also a research facility to test new ideas," he said. "The data from the lab helps us to figure out what will work and what won't."
Recently, Fredrickson and Haut worked with Runner's World magazine, helping the magazine evaluate, rate and categorize different types of running shoes set to hit stores this spring. Sport Biomechanics Inc. works with Runner's World before the beginning of each season.
Shoes are evaluated by Haut for range of cushioning and their responsiveness to force and impact. The lab tests about 40 different models, taking about five minutes to test each.
After getting mechanical testing information, Fredrickson used subjective feedback from about 225 runners who wore the shoes and rated them on their performance.
Fredrickson said objective information from MSU's labs and subjective feedback from runners will match when a shoe is high quality.
"What's great is when the comments from the runner reinforce the objective information we get from the labs," he said.
Runner's World publishes a research study based on information found by Sports Biomechanics Inc. The published study gives accolades, such as "Editor's Pick," "Best Buy" and "Best Update."
"Everyone wants to maximize their running ability, whether they run to win races, run casually or run for fitness," Haut said. "Information gained from the study helps them to match a shoe to their running needs."
Both Fredrickson and Haut agreed that picking the right shoe can prevent injuries and help wearers to have a more comfortable run.
Advertising junior Justin Best, a serious high school runner who now runs recreationally, said shoe material and durability are important to him.
"For me, a lighter shoe can shave seconds off of my time and seconds can be the difference between winning and losing a race," he said.
Many categories in the magazine's survey contained more than one model, and Fredrickson said the Runner's World Web site's message board has been filled with questions from runners who want to know which shoe is the best.
So what advice does a man who makes a living testing and evaluating thousands of shoes give to runners who want to buy the shoe that will give them the most bang for their buck?
"Eighty percent of people fit their shoes too short," Fredrickson said. "The most important thing to remember when buying a shoe, although it sounds like the simplest thing in the world, is just to make sure the shoe fits.
"Figure out what you like and what you need, but most importantly, make sure that it fits."
