Fig. 3. A, Properly fitted race plate, with heel checks and unobstructed frog sulci. B, Race plate fitted too tightly in the heels, with no heel checks. The frog sulci are obstructed and likely to trap dirt, causing bruising.
shoe wrap around too tightly, covering up the medial and lateral sulci of the frog and don’t allow clearance of the footing through the sulci. The branch of the shoe will allow footing to ball up and become tightly
compacted as it is forced into the sulci at high speeds during the sliding phase of impact. Rapid deceler- ation of the foot will drive the track substrate into the sulci like a wedge, creating bruising. This is
Fig. 4. A, Shoe with a stabilizer pad welded in for support and protection. B, Heartbar welded into a steel training plate. C, Onion heel shoes, used to protect the bars. D, Unilateral onion heel, used to protect the wing of the pedal bone and bar.
