The Relationship among Stride Parameters, Joint Angles, and Trajectories of the Body Parts during High-Heeled Walking of Woman

Abstract

Objective: This paper analyzes the changes on stride parameters, joint angles, and trajectories of the body parts due to high heels during walking and explains the causal relationship between the changes and high heels. Background: This study aims to indicate the comprehensive gait changes by high heels on the whole body for women wearing high heels and researchers interested in high-heeled walking. Method: The experiment was designed in which two different shoe heel heights were used for walking (1cm, 9.8cm), and twelve women participated in the test. In the experiment, 35 points on the body were tracked to extract the stride parameters, joint angles, and trajectories of the body parts. Results: Double support time increased, but stride length decreased in high-heeled walking. The knee inflexed more at stance phase and the spine rotation became more severe. The trajectories of the pelvis, the trunk and the head presented outstanding fluctuations in the vertical direction. Conclusion: The double support time and the spine rotation were changed to compensate instability by high heels. Reduced range of motion of the ankle joint influenced on the stride length, the knee flexion, and fluctuations of the body parts. Application: This study can provide an insight of the gait changes by high heels through the entire body.