SOME ASPECTS OF THE NEED TO IMPROVE FOOTWEAR FOR WOMEN SOLDIERS OF THE ARMED FORCES OF UKRAINE

Abstract

Investigate the possibility of using army men's footwear for women soldiers. Determine the factors that affect the comfort of women's army footwear in order to take them into account when developing and improving the shoe last and design of footwear for women soldiers. The method of expert evaluation was used to determine the significant factors of ensuring functional and performance requirements for footwear. A systematic analysis was used to determine the compliance of the parameters of the last for men's military footwear to the parameters of the last for special women's footwear. It has been determined that footwear for men soldiers cannot be an alternative for women soldiers because: 1) there is a significant difference between the parameters of the lasts for men and women soldiers: the difference in width through the most protruding points of the metatarsophalangeal joint (W 0.68) varies from 6 to 9 mm; the difference in girth through the most protruding points of the metatarsophalangeal joint (O 0.72/0.68) is 11 mm; with active use of such shoes during maximum loads on the musculoskeletal system, the female foot needs a tighter fit of the boots around the ankle area to fix and prevent ankle injuries. The expert survey revealed significant factors of non-compliance of army footwear with the functional and performance requirements of women soldiers. The necessity of producing footwear for women soldiers, taking into account the anatomical and morphological structure of their feet, which is the basis of the shoe lasts, is proved. The discrepancy in latitudinal and girth parameters of the lasts for women's and men's special footwear with the same length in the metric numbering system was determined, which is one of the factors of inconvenience of using men's special footwear by women, indicating the need to develop footwear for women soldiers taking into account the anatomical and morphological features of their feet.