Health complaints due to safety shoes?
From back pain to osteoarthritis
Although conventional safety shoes offer protection, they can cause long-term health problems. The technical design of a traditional safety shoe restricts the natural rolling movement of the foot, as the straight toe cap used up to now creates an unnatural bending line in the area of the metatarsophalangeal joints. As a result, the outer toes are not included in the rolling movement and are incorrectly loaded.
All of this can lead to muscles and tendons becoming weakened and the entire body statics changing as a result. In the long term, this can lead to chronic pain, misalignments or premature joint wear and tear, such as osteoarthritis.
Prof. Dr. Gerd-Peter Brüggemann
World-leading biomechanist and former head of the Institute for Biomechanics and Orthopaedics, ibo, at the Cologne Sports University.
Baak developed the Go&Relax system with his support.
Why is natural foot movement so important?
80%
...of consumers go through everyday life wearing the wrong footwear, according to the findings of the "German Foot Report 2010" commissioned by the German Shoe Institute (DSI). Read the entire report on welt.de here.
Patented technology from BAAK
Healthier walking with Baak Go&Relax
In collaboration with Prof. Dr. Brüggemann from the Biomechanical Institute of the German Sport University Cologne, Baak has developed a system that follows the anatomy of the foot: The Baak Go&Relax system.
Thanks to the Baak Go&Relax system, the safety shoe adapts to the foot without restricting its natural movement.
Click on the video image to access the recording of the A+A presentation on YouTube.
The BAAK Go&Relax system
Function of the Baak Go&Relax system
Baak Go&Relax is a fully integrated system that has been specially developed for safety shoes. Depending on the model, it consists of up to 6 elements.
1. the asymmetrical toe cap and
2. flex lines in the forefoot area are designed in such a way that each toe is included in the natural bending line of the metatarsophalangeal joints when rolling.
3. the H-coupling element and
4. segmented profile areas ensure that the foot is guided in its natural rolling motion without overloading the knee joint.
5. elastic sole material (depending on the model) and the
6. asymmetrical heel area, the so-called Balance Zone (depending on the model), allow the foot to roll gently from the heel over the midfoot to the front.
Wearing safety shoes with the integrated Baak Go&Relax system can:
☑ Reduce the risk of osteoarthritis of the knee
☑ Improve the posture of the torso
☑ Influence the back muscles and possibly help to reduce discomfort.
Components of the Baak Go&Relax system
Wing cap
The extended bar on the outside favors a functional bend when unrolling.
H-joint
The H-coupling element integrated into the outsole connects the forefoot and rearfoot elastically, supports the correct position of the toes and ensures stability plus control.
Flex zone in the sole
The flex zone in the outsole allows all five metatarsophalangeal joints to bend naturally and in line with the foot.
Scientifically sound results
The core results at a glance
The Institute for Biomechanics and Orthopaedics, ibo, at the Cologne Sports University has carried out scientific studies of the Baak Go&Relax system under the direction of Prof. Dr. Brüggemann.
Natural freedom of movement
The asymmetrical protective toe cap and the flexible forefoot zones allow the foot to work as if it were barefoot - only protected. This can prevent forced postures and later deformities such as hallux valgus.
Less muscle fatigue
Baak Go&Relax models require up to 50% less force and lose up to 30% less energy than comparable shoes. Less bending force + less energy loss means: Calves and foot muscles have to work noticeably less over an 8-hour shift.
Gentle on knees and back
The study shows a measurable reduction of up to 25% in the knee load (adduction moment). Together with reduced pronation*, this stabilizes the leg axis and can prevent wear and tear in the knee joint and subsequent problems in the hips and lumbar spine over the years.
Pronation means that the heel tilts slightly inwards when walking. This is natural - but excessive, unnatural inward tilting can overload the ligaments and joints in the foot
joints in the foot and lead to pain in the long term.
Study shows significant reduction in energy losses
Scientific studies by the Institute for Biomechanics and Orthopaedics at the Cologne Sports University confirm this: The traditional safety shoe occurs with energy losses of over 25 %. Tested safety shoes with the Baak Go&Relax system show significantly lower dissipation values of just under 10% than reference shoes without the Baak Go&Relax system.
Studies confirm optimized joint movements
The biomechanical effectiveness of Baak Go&Relax was validated at the Institute for Biomechanics and Orthopaedics at the Cologne Sports University under the direction of Prof. Dr. Brüggemann by experimentally testing the altered kinematics of the metatarsophalangeal joints, ankle and knee joints compared to a conventional safety shoe.
Figure: The dashed lines show the forced bending directions due to a protective cap - left for the conventional reference model, center and right for the Baak model with asymmetrical cap.
The asymmetrical toe cap allows for a more flexible bending zone that takes into account both the inner (medial) and outer (lateral) axis of movement of the foot - for more freedom of movement and comfort when walking.
Illustration: The illustration shows the movement of the metatarsophalangeal joints when walking - on the left over the outer (lateral), on the right over the inner (medial) side of the foot.
The specially shaped toe cap from Baak (right in the picture) allows a flowing, functional rolling movement, in which the foot is not disturbed by hard edges. There is no contact between the toe cap and the bone (see red arrow), even when the foot bends strongly, which protects the midfoot when pushing off the ground and significantly increases walking comfort.
Excellent technology
Baak Go&Relax wins the ergonomics award
In 2023, the IGR Institute for Health and Ergonomics awarded the Baak Go&Relax system the Ergonomics Innovation Prize.
Customized solutions
Baak Go&Relax for your company
Shoe development is both a tradition and a future for us. In addition to our own collection, we also create tailor-made solutions for companies - from the initial idea to series production, from the sole to the upper.
Collaboration with biomechanics, shoe technicians and wearers
In order to consistently expand our knowledge, we work together with experts from related disciplines. This is how the patented Baak Go&Relax system came about - developed in cooperation with the internationally renowned biomechanist Prof. Dr. Gert-Peter Brüggemann.
Karsten Keidel
Technical Manager at Baak
Sonja Arians
Shoe modeler at Baak