Shoes with elastic upper vs. shoes with a round toe box for perceived comfort and interdigital forefoot pressure in patients with hallux valgus deformity

Abstract

Although shoes act as a protective covering for the feet, they can be an important source of pain and foot disorder if not properly fitted. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of a shoe with highly compliant upper on the dorsal digital and interdigital pressure in comparison with shoes with a rounded toe box and participant’s own shoes in patients with Hallux Abducto Valgus (HAV) deformity. Eighteen participants with moderate to severe HAV were recruited. The patients’ perceived comfort and interdigital forefoot pressure were measured using force sensitive resistance sensors while wearing shoes with a round toe box and shoes with stretchable fabric upper and were compared to when the participants were wearing their own preferred shoes. Shoes with stretchable fabric upper significantly reduced the dorsal digital and interdigital pressure and increased perceived comfort. The results of the present study showed the superiority of shoes with stretchable fabric upper in reducing the pressure on the forefoot and the overall comfort compared to shoes with a round toe box and participant’s own shoes in people with HAV. It, therefore, seems that shoes with stretchable fabric upper can be recommended to ameliorate the treatment outcome in people with HAV.