The higher the heel the higher the forefoot-pressure in ten healthy women

Abstract

Foot pressures were measured in 10 healthy women, while walking in high-heeled (5.91 ± 1.03 cm) and low-heeled (1.95 ± 1.06 cm) shoes. The foot was divided into seven regions. For each region the following parameters were calculated: the peak pressure (PP), pressure time integral (PTI), maximum force (MF), force time integral (FTI), contact time (CT) and contact area (CA). In high heels loading was reduced in the midfoot and under the heel, the CA and MF were decreased significantly. Walking with high-heel shoes caused an increase in peak pressures of 30% in the central forefoot (metatarsals 2–4) in comparison with low heels, whereas PTI increased by 48%. In the medial forefoot (metatarsal 1) these parameters increased by 34% and 47%, respectively. An increasing heel height shows a correlation (>0.70) of PP to PTI in the medial forefoot and to PP in the central forefoot.