Interviews
Pair of studies features biomechanical analysis of footwear
30 May '08
4 min read
Analysis of High-Heels:
A new study supports the notion that women should use caution when descending stairs in heels, this time from a biomechanical perspective.
An analysis of the motion at the ankle joint shows that walking in high heels down stairs may cause an unstable gait pattern that could lead to an injury of the leg or foot.
The study examined barefoot to low (one inch) and high (two-and-a-half inch) heels with several views of the foot and the heel to determine what patterns of motion predict how the lower leg and foot activate at these different heel heights.
While the heel strike force was the softest in the high heels, the force on the toe was highest in this shoe. Greater toe-off force is required to propel the body forward, and potentially contributes to the instability that may resultin injury, particularly after long-term wear.
Researchers also found that when barefoot, participants had the highest heel strike. They also noted that when walking barefoot, participants landed with greater force at the heel strike, which may indicate a more confident approach to the last step.
"Walking barefoot has its advantages, such as giving the intrinsic muscles of the foot more work and therefore making them stronger," said Wendy Miletello, Ph.D., who was involved in the study. "Stronger feet mean more stability for the entire body."
"High heels are very common, at work or in our culture of fashion, and of course going up and down stairs is something we commonly do, even unconsciously at times," said Lalitha Balasubramanian, lead author of the study.
"This initial look at what happens when you wear heels on the stairs will help us determine what may predispose an individual to foot injuries, a common effect of wearing high heels for a long period. Future studies may look even more closely at injuries and fatigue related to wearing heels."
A new study supports the notion that women should use caution when descending stairs in heels, this time from a biomechanical perspective.
An analysis of the motion at the ankle joint shows that walking in high heels down stairs may cause an unstable gait pattern that could lead to an injury of the leg or foot.
The study examined barefoot to low (one inch) and high (two-and-a-half inch) heels with several views of the foot and the heel to determine what patterns of motion predict how the lower leg and foot activate at these different heel heights.
While the heel strike force was the softest in the high heels, the force on the toe was highest in this shoe. Greater toe-off force is required to propel the body forward, and potentially contributes to the instability that may resultin injury, particularly after long-term wear.
Researchers also found that when barefoot, participants had the highest heel strike. They also noted that when walking barefoot, participants landed with greater force at the heel strike, which may indicate a more confident approach to the last step.
"Walking barefoot has its advantages, such as giving the intrinsic muscles of the foot more work and therefore making them stronger," said Wendy Miletello, Ph.D., who was involved in the study. "Stronger feet mean more stability for the entire body."
"High heels are very common, at work or in our culture of fashion, and of course going up and down stairs is something we commonly do, even unconsciously at times," said Lalitha Balasubramanian, lead author of the study.
"This initial look at what happens when you wear heels on the stairs will help us determine what may predispose an individual to foot injuries, a common effect of wearing high heels for a long period. Future studies may look even more closely at injuries and fatigue related to wearing heels."
American College of Sports Medicine
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Folker Stachetzki
Brother Internationale Industriemaschinen GmbH
Kishorchandra Jariwala
Kishor Traders
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