A
Abduction: motion of a body part away from the midline of the
body
ADduction: motion of a body part toward the midline of the body
Anterior: front, as front portion of a shoe or foot
Apex:
the thickest aspect of a flare, metatarsal bar, or rocker sole
B
Balance:
to support or arrange to equalize opposing forces
Bal, Balmoral:
front laced shoe in which the meeting of the quarters and the vamp is stitched
or continuous at the throat
Ball:
width of the sole at the metatarsal heads
Ball Girth:
circumferential measurement encompassing the first to the fifth metatarsal area.
Bilateral:
pertaining to right and left sides
Biomechanics:
the science of locomotion of the human body
Blind Eyelet:
a metal or plastic eyelet concealed beneath the top surface of the shoe leaving
only a small, rimless hole.
Blucher:
front-laced shoe in which the quarters are not attached at the throat
Boot:
high top: high-quarter shoe in which the quarters cover the malleoli
Bottom Filler:
material that fills the cavity between the outer and inner soles
Break:
creasing formed at the vamp of the shoe when the metatarsal-phalangeal joints
are in dorsiflexion
Breathability:
the ability to allow air exchange to the foot through the material of the shoe
Buttress:
see stabilizer
C
Calfskin leather:
skin from young male and female bovines; the whole skin is smaller than 25
square feet
Certified Pedorthist:
an individual who has met certification criteria established by the Board for
Certification in Pedorthics (BCP) and meets continuing education requirements
Chrome Tannage:
using chrome salts to convert hides to leather
Chukka:
three quarter Blucher boot with two or three eyelets
Closed Kinetic Chain:
weightbearing; stance phase of gait cycle
Collar:
narrow strip of material stitched around the topline of the shoe, sometimes
padded
Combination Last:
last that deviates from standard proportions; the heel is two to three widths
narrower than the ball in exact proportions.
Composition:
various materials which are pulverized, compressed and held with a binder
(adhesive) to form a sheet material for insoles, midsoles, heel bases, and other
components
Conformability:
ability of a material to mold to the shape of the foot
Cookie:
longitudinal arch pad
Cork:
made from the bark of the cork tree. Cork may be combined with other materials;
available in various forms such as the sheet cork, natural cork, cushion cork,
and thermo cork; different names are given to the cork according to the binders
(adhesives) used
Counter, Long: counter extended distally; lateral counter is
extended to the lateral metatarsal region; medial counter is extended to the
medial metatarsal region
Crepe, Rubber: neoprene rubber (artificial latex) compounded
for use as soles and heels
Custom molded shoe: shoe molded form a full dimensional cast of
patient’s foot
D
Distal: farther from the central portion of the body; opposite
of proximal
Dorsiflexion: movement of the foot upward toward the ankle in
the sagittal plane of the body
Dorsum: top aspect of the foot
Doubler: interlining placed between the vamp and vamp lining
for additional reinforcement
Dutchman: lateral sole wedge
E
Elevation: material added to the bottom of the shoe to adjust
for limb length discrepancy
Eversion: motion away from the midline of the body; opposite of
inversion
F
Flare: widened heel or sole base
Full Grain: outer surface of a hide with smooth skin intact
G
Girth: circumferential dimension measured around
the last
Glove Leather: leather tannage generally used for gloves an now
used, with modifications, for some footwear uppers; has a soft feel and a dull,
waxy surface
Goodyear Welt: shoemaking process in which a narrow strip of
leather or other material is stitched in place to join the shoe upper to the
inner and outer sole
Goring: elastic fabric inserted in the front or side(s)of an
upper so that the opening expands to accommodate the foot
H
Heel Breast: anterior margin of heel
Heel Elevation: material added to the heel to accommodate
equinus position or limb length discrepancy
Heel Height: vertical measurement from the plantar surface to
the heel seat at the anterior or center surface of the heel, usually in eights
of an inch
Spring Heel: 3/8 to 6/8 inch; heel base lies under the outer
sole eliminating a definite heel breast
A. Flat heel: 6/8 to 10/8 inches
B. Military Heel: 10/8 to 13/8 inches
C. Cuban Heel: 13/8 to 14/8 inches
D. Wedge Heel: 4/8 to 14/8 inches; slopes upward from ball to posterior heel
with no definite heel breast
Heel Pitch: vertical slant at the posterior aspect of the heel
Heel Seat: area of the shoe upon which the calcaneus rests
Heel, Thomas: heel with anteriorly extended medial border
Hindfoot: the tarsus region or back part of the foot
I
Inflare: last or shoe whose anterior region provides more
medial than lateral surface area
Injection Molded: shoe construction whereby a heat-softened
plastic is injected into a mold, then compressed against the mating surface of a
concentric mold and allowed to cool and harden to form the sole and heel unit
Inlay: material or device inserted into the shoe
Inner Sole: material conforming to the size and shape of the
last bottom upon which the foot rest, an insole
Instep: portion of the upper over the midfoot
Internal: inner part, as inside of a shoe
Inversion: motion toward the midline of the body; opposite of
eversion
Iron: term used to represent 1/48 of an inch; used in measuring
sole thickness, for example, six-iron sole is 1/8 inch thick
L
Lace Stay: portion of the upper containing eyelets for lacing
Lace-toToe: low or high quarter shoe laced to the toe
Last: model approximating the shape and size of the foot, over
which a shoe is made; usually made of wood or plastic, or plaster
Lasting: fitting and shaping of the upper to the last
Last Systems: methods of sizing last dimensions: Arithmetic,
Geometric, Dynametric, Europoint
Lasting Allowance: extra material on shoe patterns to fit
around and under the bottom edge of the last; lasting margin
Lateral: pertaining to the side away from the midline of
the body
Length: dimension on the center of the last bottom from toe
point to heel point
Levy Mold: full length inlay that conforms to contour of the
plantar aspect of the foot
Littleway Construction: shoe construction involving a lock
stitch in which the upper is fastened to the insole with staples
Longitudinal Arch: arc of hindfoot and midfoot from
mid-calcaneus extending proximal to the first metatarsal head
M
Malleolus: bony prominence at the distal portion of the tibia
an fibula
McKay Construction: shoe construction in which the upper is
tacked, stapled, or cemented, and the sole is attached with chain stitches from
inside the shoe through the insole and outsole
Medial: pertaining to the middle; toward the midline of
the body
Metatarsal Bar: rubber, leather, or synthetic bar applied
transversely to the sole of the shoe with the apex immediately proximal to the
metatarsal heads
Metatarsal Pad: a device placed proximal to the metatarsal
heads to relieve pressure and redistribute weight
Midsole: sole placed between inner and outer sole
N
Negative Heel:
heel whose plantar surface is lower or the same as the ball of the shoe
Neoprone:
extremely durable, oil-resistant synthetic, rubber-like material used for
outsoles, heels, and other components
O
Open Kinetic Chain: non-weightbearing; swing phase of gait
cycle
Orthosis: supportive device for the body
Outflare: last or show whose anterior area provides more
lateral than medial surface area
Outsole: bottom, ground-contacting portion of the shoe
Oxford: low-quarter, laced shoe
P
Pedorthics: the design, manufacture, modification and/or fit of
footwear and related or orthotic devices
Plantar: bottom aspect of the foot
Plantarflexion: movement of the foot downward, away from the
ankle in the sagittal plane
Platform: elevated sole
Polyurethane: plastic used for uppers, soles, top lifts, and
other components of shoes; also used in construction of orthotic devices
Polyvinylchloride:
thermoplastic material with various applications such as soles and heels; also
known as PVC; can be used as a coating for uppers and linings
Posterior:
back, as in the back portion of shoe or foot
Posting:
wedging. Footcare professionals do not always agree on posting terminology;
therefore good communication between prescriber and fabricator is especially
important if the patient’s prescription involves posting.
Extrinsic Posting:
modifications to the base of the orthoses
Intrinsic Posting:
modifications sculpted into or added onto the positive model of the foot.
Medial Forefoot Posting:
grinding the base of an orthoses so that the area at the first metatarsal head
is thicker than the area at the fifth metatarsal; adding a wedge to an orthosis
to increase the thickness a the first metatarsal head in its relationship to the
fifth metatarsal head.
Lateral Forefoot Posting: grinding the base of an orthosis so
that the area at the fifth metatarsal head is thicker than the area at the first
metatarsal; adding a wedge to an orthosis to increase the thickness at fifth
metatarasal head in its relationship to the first metatarsal head
Medial Heel Posting: grinding the base of an orthosis or adding
to an orthosis to elevate the medial aspect of the calcaneus
Lateral Heel Posting: grinding the base of an orthosis or
adding to an orthosis to elevate the lateral aspect of the calcaneus
Forefoot Varus Posting: see medial forefoot posting
Forefoot Valgus Posting: see lateral forefoot posting
Rearfoot Valgus Posting: see lateral heel posting
Rearfoot Varus Posting: see medial
heel posting
Prescription: legal order requesting specific treatment,
stating diagnosis and signed by a medical practitioner
Pronation: tri-plane motion of the foot consisting of eversion,
dorsiflexion, and abduction; opposite of supination
Proximal:
nearer to the central portion of the body; opposite of distal
R
Rocker Bar: sole bar with the apex beneath the metatarsal
shafts causing rocking instead of flexing action
Rocker Bottom: a modified sole apexed at various positions to
assist the gait cycle and relieve or transfer pressure from the designated areas
of the foot and ankle.
S
Shank: firm, stiff, inflexible area of the shoe between the
heel breast and ball that supports the plantar fascia
Sock Lining:
material that provides smooth surface on top of the inner sole
Splint, Dennis-Browne: rigid bar between both shoes used to
abduct or adduct the feet
Splint, Friedman-Counter: flexible leather strip attached to
the lateral counters of both shoes; used to limit internal rotation
Stabilizer: material added to the upper leather of the shoe to
reinforce the counter. May be medial or lateral
Straight Last: form for constructing a shoe that can be worn on
either foot or a shoe whose medial border approximates a straight line
Sulcus: long, narrow groove or furrow o the plantar surface of
the foot proximal to the phalanges
Supination: a tri-plane motion of the foot consisting of
inversion, plantar flexion and adduction; opposite of pronation
T
Tarsus: the seven bones that form the hind portion of the foot
Thermoplastic: synthetic material that becomes fluid and
elastic when heated, so that it can be reshaped, and hardens as it cools, so
that it retains the new shape.
Throat: entrance of the shoe where vamp and quarters usually
meet
Toe Box: reinforcement used to retain the original contour of
the toe and guard the foot against trauma or abrasion
Toe Crest: convex cushion under the sulcus
Toe Spring: space between the outer sole and horizontal
treading surface measured vertically at the toe, allowing rocker effect for shoe
function
Toplift: replaceable outer layer of a shoe heel
Transverse Arch: the arch formed by the metatarsal bones, 1-5
V
Vamp: forepart of the shoe upper over the metatarsal shafts
Velcro: two-part nylon material in the form of tapes that
fasten to each other; often used in place of laces and other shoe closures
Vegetable Tannage: process of converting hide to leather that
uses materials derived from plant life such as oak, chestnut, quebracho,
myrobalans or divi- divi; used for construction hypo-allergenic shoes
Vulcanizing Process: bonding of the outer sole to the upper
form a sole mold in which the soft rubber molds to the shoe, then is allowed to
cool and harden; common in footwear such as sneakers
W
Waist: section of the last between the ball and instep
Wedge: tapered leather, rubber, or other material used to
elevate one side of the sole and/or heel
Wedging: insertion of wedges inside the shoe or on the sole
and/or heel; posting
Width: linear measurement from the medial to lateral border of
the shoe
