News study backs trim-to-fit insole designed for foot pain relief

Nation.Cymru staff

Researchers at a Welsh university have published a study into a new customisable insole designed to reduce painful pressure on the foot.

The research was led by University of Wales Trinity Saint David’s Yajie Zhang, a research scientist in human movement and rehabilitation working through the University’s Assistive Technologies Innovation Centre (ATiC), in collaboration with Wales-based company Kaydiar Ltd.

The study evaluated the company’s ZeroSole prototype, an off-the-shelf insole that can be trimmed to fit and customised by removing small modular sections to reduce pressure in painful areas of the foot.

Published in the Journal of Science in Sport and Exercise, the paper found the insoles significantly reduced pressure on the foot during walking, while users also reported high levels of comfort and no issues with balance. The findings suggest the product could help people experiencing painful foot conditions such as corns and calluses.

Dr Zhang’s research focuses on how people move and interact with products and environments. In this study, she led the testing and biomechanical analysis of the ZeroSole prototypes using healthy participants.

A further clinical validation study by co-author Jane Lewis and her team at Cardiff Metropolitan University also supported the product’s potential use in podiatry patients with painful plantar foot lesions.

The publication is the result of a successful research, development, and innovation collaboration between UWTSD and Kaydiar Ltd, combining Kaydiar’s product innovation with ATiC’s expertise in biomechanics and user-centred research. The partnership is continuing through a new collaborative project focused on advanced usability and user-experience testing.

Biomechanical evidence 

Dr Yajie Zhang said: “This study provides biomechanical evidence showing how a modular, off-the-shelf insole can be configured to reduce focal plantar pressure during walking. Our focus was on understanding the immediate effects in healthy users, using objective movement and pressure measures that can inform both product development and future clinical research.”

David Barton, Co-founder of Kaydiar Ltd, said: “Working with the team at ATiC has been an outstanding experience from start to finish. Their laboratory research has been pivotal in supporting both our marketing communications and technical product files for ZeroSole. What struck us most was not just the quality of the science, but the speed and efficiency with which the whole project was delivered. We couldn’t have asked for a more professional or collaborative research partner.”

Shelley Doolan, ATiC Manager said: “This publication reflects the strength of ATiC’s applied approach to collaborative research. It marks an important milestone by disseminating the outcomes of the project through peer‑reviewed publication and highlights a collaboration that has already led to further joint research activity with Kaydiar.”

The research was supported by the ERDF funded Accelerate Wales programme and contributes to UWTSD’s mission to deliver applied research with tangible societal and economic impact.

The full paper is available open access via Springer Nature.