Infrared thermography used for handball footwear heat detection duringthe training

The purpose of this paper is to present an experimental thermal transfer analysis of sports footwear to identify the areas that ensure the best foot ventilation for comfort and performance in training sessions. The measurements were performed on seven athletes (subjects) during a handball training session, wearing the same footwear that the handballers typically use for indoor sports. The thermographic recordings were made during training at five different times: moment zero (before the start of training), moment one (2 minutes of training), moment two (5 minutes of training), moment three (15 minutes of training), and moment four (at the end of the handball training session). For the other three subjects, although they have different models of the same sports footwear, the analysis of the thermal distribution values shows that they are within the minimum and maximum limits of the four subjects analysed in the paper. Based on the thermographic values recorded, a mathematical model was determined using polynomial regression in Matlab to predict temperature values outside the range of the experimental data. In the present paper, research was carried out in order to identify the thermal transfer of indoor sports shoes used in handball training so as to detect the heat exchange between the foot and the outdoor environment. Thermography can be a valuable tool for manufacturers to evaluate the effectiveness of a shoe’s insulation and ventilation systems. By using thermography, manufacturers can assess how well the footwear regulates temperature and moisture, which are crucial factors in maintaining comfort and performance for athletes, particularly in a high-intensity sport like handball.