INTRODUCTION: Athletic footwear is the vehicle by which mechanical function is translated to human motion and sport performance. The athlete-equipment interaction in gliding and sliding sports has been recognized as a fundamental component of performance success (Lockwood et al., 2009; Pearsall et al., 2012; Stefanyshyn & Wannop, 2015). However, quantitatively assessing the merits of equipment, namely the athletic footwear on the execution of technique, is technically challenging and has been handcuffed by the lack of portable and sensitive research instrumentation that can be used in a real-world competitive environment. In the sport of ice hockey, skate boots traditionally use laces to secure the foot inside the boot and to enhance fit, comfort and performance. A lace locking device was proposed to enhance the role of laces and help maintain lace tension and/or customize tension zones throughout the lacing pattern on the skate boot. METHODS: The study was conducted in three phases; (i) phase 1 was dedicated to the design and build of a portable measurement apparatus that could quantitatively assess lace tension, (ii) phase 2 investigated the stiffness properties of three different types of skate laces and their ability to maintain tension with and without a lace locking device installed in a non-human model, and finally, (iii) phase 3 compared lace tension pre-post a bout of skating with and without a lace locking device installed on the skate boots as the athlete skated on a skating treadmill in a controlled lab environment and on the ice in a competitive sport environment. RESULTS: Phase 1 resulted in the design and build of a portable measuring device that can be used to quantify lace tension in both non-human and human models, whereby the skate boot is on the athlete`s foot. Results of phase 2 suggested that all laces have the ability to stretch, however, stiffness properties dictate the resistance to stretch. Phase 3 revealed mixed results; significant differences in pre-post skate lace tension without the lace locking device, meaning laces loosen with wear; however, no significant differences in lace tension with the lace locking device installed, meaning that the lace locking device provided a resistance to lace stretch (p < 0.05). DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: Outcomes of the study suggested that the measuring apparatus was able to reliably quantify lace tension during use and assisted us in understanding the effectiveness of the lace locking device. The lace locking deviceprovided resistance to stretch or slippage and had the ability to maintain pre established lace tension at the location where the device was installed. Furthermore, the lace locking device provided the athletes with the ability and confidence in knowing that their customized skate boot tension will be maintained during use.
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