Abstract
BackgroundHigh-heeled shoes are currently preferred by women due to contemporary aesthetics. However, high-heeled shoes may increase the effort required to ascend stairs and, hence, alter biomechanical performance.Research question: How do high-heel shoe parameters affect the pelvis position, lower extremities kinematics, and ground reaction force in young women during stair ascent motion? MethodsStair ascent experiments were performed with 20 healthy adult women. The participants were instructed to ascend a 3-step staircase, wearing heeled shoes of different heel heights and heel types and one pair of flat shoes as the control group. Changes in lower body biomechanics were analyzed with kinematics and ground reaction force variables collected from the dominant limb. A two-way repeated ANOVA was performed to determine which variables were affected by heel type and which were affected by heel height or a combination of both. ResultsAs the heel height increased, an increased range of ankle dorsiflexion-plantarflexion, as well as pelvic rotation, was observed(P = 0.039 and P = 0.003, respectively). A thinner heel type displayed a larger pelvic forward tilt movement(P = 0.026)and 1st peak vertical force(P = 0.025), as well as a smaller 2nd peak vertical force (P = 0.002). With high heels, increased external rotation of the knee, inversion and plantar flexion, and flexion values of the knee were observed. We also observed decreased external rotation of the pelvis, ankle eversion, varum, and dorsiflexion. SignificanceTo stabilize body posture during stair ascent motion with high-heeled shoes, compensatory response including increasd pelvic range of motion and changing the joint angles of the lower extremities.
Highlights
No prior work has compared the biomechanical workload of stair ascent (SA) using shoes of different heel heights and heel types
Studies reported that high-heeled shoe (HHS) reduced vertical balance and pelvic inclination angles with medium-to-large and large effects on static posture parameters[8]
Altered pelvic parameters may be interpreted as compensatory adaptations to HHSs, while muscular overuse, as well as postural load relieving may contribute to chronic side effects
Summary
No prior work has compared the biomechanical workload of stair ascent (SA) using shoes of different heel heights and heel types. Studies reported that HHSs reduced vertical balance and pelvic inclination angles with medium-to-large and large effects on static posture parameters[8]. Previous studies observed an increase in knee flexion and a decrease in ankle eversion associated with elevated heel heights while walking, and with higher peak vertical and anterior-posterior ground reaction forces (GRFs)[11]. Gu et al described an increased range of knee abduction-adduction and hip flexion-extension, and decreased ankle inversion in high-heel jogging. These findings showed that wearing HHSs may lead to low back pain, knee osteoarthritis, and a higher risk of an ankle sprain[12]
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