Lower extremity mechanics of jogging in different experienced high-heeled shoe wearers

Abstract

In today’s society, many women wear high-heeled shoes. However, the effect of wearing high-heeled shoes on different experienced high-heeled shoe wearers wearing the same heel heights has not been fully investigated from the biomechanical point of view. In the present study, different experienced female high-heeled shoe wearers were asked to jog wearing highheeled shoes of two different heel heights (1.5 and 4.5cm). Kinematic data from a three-dimensional motion analysis system were collected to describe the lower extremity mechanics while the subjects were jogging at self-selected speeds. The results were as follows: throughout the jogging gait cycle, hip abduction was significantly decreased when experienced high-heeled wearers wore low-heeled shoes compared to when they wore flat shoes, and knee flexion was significantly decreased (p = 0.008, p = 0.003). In addition, ankle plantarflexion and abduction were significantly decreased on the part of experienced high-heeled wearers compared with those inexperienced wearers in low-heeled shoes (p = 0.006, p = 0.004). The results tend to be helpful for different experienced wearers in choosing high-heeled shoes. Certainly, this will be one of the best biomechanical evidences and scientific suggestions for supply footwear manufacturers.