Chong Yun Ning Laurel Abstract Running-related injuries are relatively common among NS (National Service) men, and

it can be caused by the shoes itself. This study will focus on the cushioning system in NS shoes and its effect on the foot. It was reported that the more effective the cushioning system is, the tendency of getting injured can be reduced. However, NS shoes have not been researched on for their effectiveness in cushioning. Hence, the objective of this study is to determine the best cushioning in the shoes provided to NS men in terms of minimizing the impact force acting on the foot and providing a higher impulse when cushioning an impact. A group of males with different BMI (Body Mass Index) and foot types (flat and arch foot) were tested with the 3 brands of NS shoes given (Asics, Brooks and New Balance). They were required to run, jump and walk in each of the shoes and the impact force on their foot was measured using a force plate. The pair of shoes with the best cushioning system which presented the highest impulse is New Balance 440. The results have also shown that New Balance 440 is suitable and the best cushioned shoes for the different foot types and BMI. Therefore, New Balance 440 with Abzorb cushioning system is highly recommended for NS men in order to reduce injuries risks. 226 words

Crystal Swee Abstract There has been many research conducted to investigate the pros and cons of the cushioning of running shoes. However, no one has specifically conducted an experiment to test the cushioning of the running shoes provided during National Service (NS). Each government agency issues a different brand of running shoes across the three main branches of NS. And as the shoe is issued to the NSFs regardless of their foot type and Body Mass Index (BMI), we believe that there is a need to carry out an investigation to find out which of the shoes issued provides the best cushioning and helps lessen the risk of leg injuries. To carry out the experiment of testing the shoes across different foot type and BMI, we had three different test subjects walked, jumped and ran over a force plate in the various shoes. This is so that we could gather the readings of the force and the impulse experienced by the foot. And based on the results obtained, we were able to determine that New Balances Abzorb System of Cushioning is the best as the impulse felt by the foot was the highest amongst the three shoes tested. This shows that the Abzorb System of Cushioning is rather efficient in absorbing the impact felt on the foot as it hits the ground. Hence, the recommended shoes for NSFs would be the New Balance running shoes. 232 words

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Muhammad Syafiq Bin Samsudin Abstract Male Singaporeans are required to enrol themselves in the National Service at the age of 18 and running shoes are issued to aid them in their trainings. However, different brands of shoes are issued by the different government agencies. Getting the right pair of shoes is essential as it reduces the susceptibility of the wearer to injuries. To reduce injury, one should choose the shoe with suitable cushioning properties. Thus, the aim of this experiment is to find out which shoe, specifically Asics, Brooks or New Balance provides the best cushioning for National Servicemen. Three test subjects and shoes were used in experiment. The subjects were made to run, walk and jump on a force plate to determine the amount of force exerted by them. Readings were extrapolated onto a table and results showed that New Balance had the greatest impulse across the different test subjects. This meant that the cushion in the shoe absorbs the most force on impact, thus minimises the injury on the wearer and increase their performance. Therefore, New Balances Abzorb cushioning system gives the best cushioning. However, there were limitations to the experiment as a small pool of participants was used instead of larger pool, thus giving a false representation of the National Servicemen. Also, spatial constraints in the lab might have jeopardised some of the readings thus a larger space would be more realistic. In conclusion, National Servicemen should consider getting a New Balance shoe for their trainings to lower the risk of injuries. 250 words

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Muhammad Rusydi Bin Abdul Rahman Abstract Full-time National Servicemen (NSFs) are issued with different brands of running shoes depending on where they are posted. The shoe issued is regardless of their foot type or weight. Currently, there are no researches conducted to find out which of these shoes are the best for the NSFs. The experiment was conducted to find the best shoe by testing the cushioning of the shoe. Three tests (running, walking and jumping) were conducted to determine the cushioning effect for each shoe. Three test subjects with different BMI and foot types performed the tests on each shoe. A Kistler Force Plate was used to record the force generated from the tests. A program called Bioware was then used to translate the raw data to a force-time graph. The cushioning of the shoe was then determined through the analysis of the impulse. The total impulse for each set of test per test subject per shoe was calculated to find which shoe has the best overall cushioning. It was found that the New Balance running shoe had the highest total impulse. Therefore, from the higher impulse it generates, it can be concluded that New Balance is the best shoe based on its superior cushioning compared to the other two. Additionally, the findings also suggest that the effective cushioning differs from each individual. Thus it would be recommended that either New Balance shoes be used for NS or have a custom selection of shoes that would provide the necessary cushioning to cater to the different foot types or BMI. 254 words

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Muhammad Irshad Bin Ibrahim Abstract It is made mandatory for all male Singaporeans to serve National Service. The three main government agencies in Singapore which they have to serve would be the Civil Defence Force, Singapore Armed Forces and the Singapore Police Force. The three government agency each issues different brands of running shoes namely Brooks, New Balance and Asics. There were reported cases of National Service Personnel sustaining injuries during the course of their training. Studies have related the lack of cushioning in shoes to an increased chance of sustaining injuries to the feet. Thus this experiment was conducted to find out which shoe out of the three provided the best cushioning. For this experiment, three test subjects were used. Each subject was made to jump, run and walk on the Kistler Force Plate. The program we used was able to measure the impulse generated during each activity. The shoe with the highest impulse showed that it had the best cushioning. From our experiment, we were able to gather that New Balance had the highest combined impulse hence putting it as the shoe with the best cushioning. The limitation of this experiment would be that the material of the shoe was not investigated. The material of the shoe could also be a factor in reducing injuries to the foot. In conclusion, New Balance showed that it could provide the proper cushioning that National Service Personnel need for their training. New Balance would be the recommended shoe for all three government agencies.

247 words

List Of Illustrations

Kistler Force Plate (Figure 1) Walking/Running Technique (Figure 2) Jump Technique (Figure 3) Illustrated Graph Using Bioware (Graph 1) Results (Table 1) Results (Table 2) Results (Table 3) Discussion (Table 4)

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