Barefoot Group Research Articles

Barefoot walking improves cognitive ability in adolescents.

Walking can have a positive impact on cognitive function in adolescents. This study aimed to compare the effects of walking with sneakers and barefoot on cognitive ability in adolescents. Fifty-nine adolescent male students were included in the study and assigned to the control (n = 20), sneaker (n = 19), and barefoot (n = 20) groups. The barefoot and sneakers group performed a 40-min walking exercise four times a week for 12 weeks during the morning physical activity time, while the control group performed self-study. Electroencephalogram (EEG) and brain activity variables were measured before and after the exercise program. The results showed that after 12 weeks, the barefoot group had a significant decrease in Gamma and H-beta waves and a significant increase in sensorimotor rhythm (SMR) and Alpha waves. Conversely, the control group showed a significant decrease in SMR waves and increase in Theta waves. The sneaker group showed a significant decrease in SMR waves alone. In an eyes-open resting state, the barefoot group showed a significant increase in H-beta, M-beta, SMR, and Alpha waves. The barefoot group also had a significant increase in cognitive speed and concentration and a significant decrease in brain stress. Taken together, barefoot walking can effectively enhance cognitive ability in adolescents, as demonstrated by the significant variation in EEG activity. This research highlights the potential benefits of barefoot walking as a simple and effective form of exercise for enhancing cognitive function in adolescents.

Shoe sole impedes leg muscle activation and impairs dynamic balance responding to a standing-slip

The shoe sole is identified as a fall risk factor since it may impede the afferent information about the outside world collected by the plantar sensory units. However, no study has directly quantified how the shoe sole compromises body balance and increases fall risk. This study aimed to inspect how the sole affects human balance after an unexpected standing-slip. It was hypothesized that individuals wearing the sole, relative to their barefoot counterparts, would exhibit 1) more impaired stability and 2) disrupted lower limb muscle activation following a standing-slip. Twenty young adults were evenly randomized into two groups: soled and barefoot. The soled group wore a pair of customized 10-mm thick soles, while the other group was bare-footed. Full-body kinematics and leg muscle electromyography (EMG) were collected during a standardized and unexpected standing-slip. The EMG electrodes were placed on the tibialis anterior, gastrocnemius, rectus femoris, and biceps femoris bilaterally. Dynamic stability, spatiotemporal gait parameters, and the EMG latency of the leg muscles were compared between groups. The sole impeded the initiation of the recovery step possibly because it interfered with the accurate detection of the external perturbation and subsequently activated the leg muscles later in the soled group than in the barefoot group. As a result, individuals in the soled group experienced a longer slip distance and were more unstable than the barefoot group at the recovery foot liftoff. The findings of this study could augment our understanding of how the shoe sole impairs body balance and increases the fall risk.

Effect of barefoot exercises on dynamic balance in sub-elite marathon runners

Abstract Background: Runners who demonstrate poor balance performance are at a higher risk of lower extremity musculoskeletal injury. Barefoot running is hypothesized to improve joint proprioception and thereby enhance balance performance. However, the influence of barefoot weight-bearing exercise training on dynamic stability remains unexplored. Objectives: The current study explored the effect of barefoot exercise intervention on dynamic balance performance in sub-elite marathon runners. Settings and Design: The current experimental study was undertaken in the recreation parks of Navi Mumbai. Materials and Methods: Thirty runners (mean age = 40 years, BMI = 25.5 kg/m2) were randomly allocated to two groups. Dynamic balance was evaluated using the star excursion balance test, and agility was assessed using the agility t test at baseline and post 12 weeks of intervention. Runners in the experimental group performed balance exercises without shoes, whereas runners in the control group performed the same set of exercises with shoes on. Between-group comparison was performed using an independent t test and within-group comparison using a paired t test using SPSS Software version 23. The effect size was calculated using Cohen’s d statistic. Results: Both groups demonstrated improved dynamic balance in the posteromedial direction. The barefoot group demonstrated improved dynamic balance in the anterior and posterolateral directions as well, with a large effect size (P = 0.001, P = 0.001, and P = 0.001, respectively). Conclusion: Barefoot exercise training improved balance performance in sub-elite marathon runners. These exercises can be incorporated into conditioning programs to reduce the risk of musculoskeletal injuries in runners.

Acute Kinematic Changes as a Response to Barefoot Habituation Training Program

Context: Barefoot running has seen a lot of scientific interest in the running community over the last decade. However, there are conflicting claims to its efficacy in improving acute adaptations in the form of joint kinematics. Interventions to transition from shod running to barefoot running are limited in scope and implementation. Aim: The study investigated the kinematic differences between barefoot and habitually shod runners following 8 weeks of habituation training. It was hypothesized that the habituation phase with gradual increments in time spent barefoot would result in better kinematic changes in barefoot runners compared to habitual shod (in-shoe). Setting and Design: Randomized parallel arm trial conducted on professional runners. Methods and Materials: Thirty-two (n = 32) professional runners with a mean age of 21.5 ± 2.04 years with standing height measuring 1.69 ± 0.04 m and weighing 69 ± 3.55 kg were selected for the study. Participants were randomly allocated to experimental barefoot and control shod groups using computer-generated sequencing. The barefoot group received an transition plan in which the participants progressed from average time spent in walking and running barefoot. The control shod group was not required to do any changes to their traditional in-shoe training. Statistical analysis used: The primary outcome measures were joint kinematics at trunk, hip, knee and foot during the treadmill walk analyzed thorough independent T test and paired t test. The level of significance was set at P < 0.05. Results: The results indicated that the experimental barefoot group showed statistically significant (P < 0.01) changes to trunk flexion-extension during the preswing phase of running. Similarly, hip flexion-extension ranges were statistically significant (P < 0.01) in the habitual shod (in-shoe) group during the preswing to the terminal swing of running. Hip and knee flexion-extension ranges improved in the barefoot group with a statistical difference of P = 0.00 following 8 weeks of barefoot training. The mean difference for the change in hip and knee flexion ranges was of a higher magnitude for the barefoot group (26.88°) than the shod group (13.23°). Similarly, foot pronation-supination ranges improved for the barefoot group with P = 0.00. Conclusion: In conclusion, running barefoot was no different from shod running, although habitually in-shoe athletes, when transitioning to barefoot condition, were essentially better at adopting the natural running style for certain variables.

Effect of shod and barefoot running on muscle mechanical properties.

Barefoot runners have a higher probability of lower leg and foot disorders compared to runners wearing traditional running shoes. However, the site of muscle stress due to barefoot running has not been reported. This study aimed to investigate the effects of shod and barefoot running on muscle mechanical properties. A total of 18 healthy male subjects were included in this study and were assigned to either the shod running group or the barefoot running group. While the shod group ran on the treadmill at a speed of 75% heart rate reserve for 45 min with shoes, the barefoot group ran without shoes after warm-up session. As an index of muscle stiffness, the shear wave velocity (SWV) of the eleven lower extremity muscles were measured at rest before and after exercise using shear wave elastography. The tibialis posterior SWV was increased after running in the shod (3.67±0.41 m/s to 3.90±0.45 m/s) and barefoot (3.70±0.36 m/s to 4.02±0.54 m/s) groups. In contrast, the vastus lateralis SWV was increased only in the shod group (2.62±0.32 m/s to 2.80±0.34 m/s), while the peroneus muscle SWV increased only in the barefoot group (3.24±0.48 m/s to 3.50±0.55 m/s and 2.92±0.5 m/s to 3.11±0.49 m/s for the superficial and deep layers, respectively). The shod condition selectively influences changes in the stiffness of the vastus lateralis and peroneus muscles during running but has no effect on the tibialis posterior.

Reduced joint reaction and muscle forces with barefoot running

Barefoot running has been associated with lowered joint loading, but it remains unclear whether the biomechanical benefits are evident after mid-distance running. A musculoskeletal model was adopted for estimating lower limb joint loading for barefoot (n = 10) versus shod (n = 10) 5 km running. The barefoot group reduced peak joint reaction force at the hip and knee, and presented muscle force reductions compared to shod controls with significant group effects and interaction effects (p < .05). These changes were primarily group effects as time point effects were not significant. These findings should be considered when designing barefoot running shoes, running programmes, and injury prevention programmes.

Effects of a 10-week running-retraining programme on the foot strike pattern of adolescents: A longitudinal intervention study

BackgroundThe purpose of this study was to analyse the effects of ten weeks of different running-retraining programmes on rearfoot strike (RFS) prevalence in adolescents. Research questionit is possible to change foot strike pattern in adolescents? MethodsA total of 180 children (45.3% girls), aged 13–16 years, participated in this intervention study. The children were randomly assigned to one of three experimental groups (EGs) that each carried out a different retraining programme, based on running technique (n = 39), a 15% increased step frequency (SF) (n = 37) and barefoot training (n = 30), performed for three days each week. A control group (CG) (n = 43) did not perform any retraining. A 2D video-based analysis (240 Hz) was used to determine the RFS. ResultsAt baseline, no significant differences in RFS prevalence were found between the EGs and the CG in either the left (χ2 = 2.048; p = 0.559) or the right foot (χ2 = 0.898; p = 0.825). In the post-test, no significant differences were found for the left foot (χ2 = 7.102; p = 0.069), but there were significant differences for the right foot (χ2 = 9.239; p = 0.025) were observed. In the re-test, no significant differences were found for either the left foot (χ2 = 2.665; p = 0.273) or the right foot (χ2 = 2.182; p = 0.325). In addition, no group displayed significant changes in RFS prevalence from the pre-test to the re-test. There was a trend towards a reduction in the RFS prevalence in both the increased SF group and the barefoot group. MeaningThe main finding of this study was that certain running-retraining programmes performed three times per week for ten weeks are not enough to modify the adolescent foot strike pattern (FSP).

CAMBIOS AGUDOS EN MORFOLOGÍA DEL PIE Y PRESIONES PLANTARES AL CORRER DESCALZO

El objetivo de esta investigación fue analizar modificaciones agudas que se producen en la morfología del pie y distribución de presiones plantares luego de la aplicación de un protocolo de carrera a pie descalzo. 42 sujetos de ambos sexos participaron de este estudio, quienes fueron divididos en Grupo Calzado (GC) (n=20) y Grupo Descalzo (GD) (n=22). Se evaluó antropometría del pie, índice del arco (AI) y presiones plantares antes y después de la intervención, que consistió en correr a 3,05 m·s-1 durante 20 min. El pie no dominante del GD disminuyó la altura de su arco plantar (AI pre=0,20, AI post=0,22; p=0,01; ES=0,4), asimismo, la carrera descalza produjo en el pie no dominante menores aumentos en los valores de presión plantar y menores disminuciones en la superficie de apoyo plantar que el correr con calzado.

Plantar support adaptations in healthy subjects after eight weeks of barefoot running training.

BackgroundAlthough the studies of barefoot running have intensified, it is still missing longitudinal work analyzing the effects of barefoot running on the phases of plantar support. The objective of this research was to analyze the modifications undergone by the Total Foot Contact (TFC) phase and its Flat Foot Phase (FFP) in subjects beginning the practice of barefoot running, in its acute and chronic effects.MethodsA total of 28 subjects were divided into the Barefoot Group (BFGr) (n = 16) and the Shod Group (SHGr) (n = 12), evaluated before (Baseline) and after running for 20 min at 3.05 m·s−1 (Post 20 min Running), and at the end of a running training protocol with an 8-week long progressive volume (Post-8-week Training). The dynamic plantar support was measured with a baropodoscope. The duration of TFC (ms), the moment at which the FFP occurred, the maximum surface of TFC (MSTFC) (cm2), the FFP surface (SFFP) (cm2), the peak pressure of TFC (PP°TFC) (kg·cm−2), and the peak pressure of FFP (PP°FFP) (kg·cm−2) were recorded. The 3 × 2 ANOVA analysis was made to determine the effects and interactions that the condition produced (Shod/Barefoot), and the time factor (Baseline/Post 20 min Running/Post-8-week Training).ResultsThe condition factor caused more significant effects than the time factor in all the variables. Duration of TFC in BFGr showed significant differences between the Baseline and Post-8-week Training (p = 0.000) and between Post-20-min Running and Post-8-week Training (p = 0.000), with an increasing trend. In the moment at which the FFP occurred a significant increase (p = 0.029) increase was found in Post-20 min Running (48.5%) compared to the Baseline (42.9%). In MSTFC, BFGr showed in Post-8-week Training values significantly higher than the Baseline (p = 0.000) and than Post-20-min Running (p = 0.000). SHGr presented a significant difference between the Baseline and Post-8-week Training (p = 0.040). SFFP in BFGr modified its values with an increasing trend (p = 0.000). PP°TFC in BFGr showed a significant decrease (p = 0.003) in Post-8-week Training (1.9 kg·cm−2) compared to the Baseline (2.4 kg·cm−2). In PP°FFP significant decreases were recorded in BFGr and between Post-8-week Training and Baseline (p = 0.000), and Post-8-week Training and Post 20 min Running (p = 0.035).ConclusionsThe adaptation took place after the 8-week training. The adaptations to running barefoot were characterized by causing an increase of the foot’s plantar support in TFC and in FFP, as well as a decrease of the plantar pressure peak in both phases. Also, there is an increased duration of the TFC and FFP, which may be related to an acquired strategy to attenuate the impacts of the ground’s reaction forces.

Morphology-Related Foot Function Analysis: Implications for Jumping and Running

Barefoot and shod running has received increased attention in recent years, however, the influence of morphology-related foot function has not been explored. This study aimed to investigate morphology-related jumping and running biomechanical functions in habitually barefoot and shod males. A total of 90 barefoot males (Indians) and 130 shod males (Chinese), with significant forefoot and toe morphology differences, participated in a vertical jump and running test to enable the collection of kinematic and kinetic data. The difference of pressure distribution in the hallux and forefoot was shown while jumping and running. The unrestricted forefoot and toes of the barefoot group presented flexible movement and leverage functions to expand the forefoot loading area during performance of the two tasks. Findings related to morphology functions, especially in the forefoot and toe may provide useful information for footwear design.

Analysis of Foot Morphology in Habitually Barefoot Group

Accurate method to identify foot morphology would further contribute to understand foot mechanism. The aim of this study is to identify foot morphology feature between habitually barefoot and shod population with 3D technology of scan. Sixty subjects both 30 habitually barefoot and 30 habitually shod participated foot scanning test. A 3-dimension laser device was applied to execute foot scanning. The findings of this study showed that habitually barefoot group displayed the foot features of the large ball perimeters, large minimal distance between hallux and other toes and the smaller hallux angle than habitually shod group. To conclude, the significant differences of foot morphology between habitually barefoot and habitually shod was mainly in forefoot area, this morphological features would provide some sights for the exploration of barefoot locomotion.

Effects of barefoot and footwear conditions on learning of a dynamic balance task: a randomized controlled study.

Although barefoot balancing has shown to be more challenging compared to shod balancing, it is still unclear whether this may also influence the balance learning effects. The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of barefoot and shod exercising on learning of a dynamic balance task. Sixty healthy and physically active adults (mean age 25.3 ± 3.4years) were randomly allocated into one of three groups (barefoot, shod and controls). The barefoot and shod intervention groups exercised once weekly over 7weeks on a stability platform with an unstable surface. Each training session included 15 trials over 30s. Before and after the intervention period, all participants completed two balance tests (stability platform and Balance Error Scoring System = BESS) under barefoot and shod conditions. Group effects in stability gains (pre to post-test differences) were analysed using ANOVA. Development of balance learning curves during the intervention period was analysed using a mixed effects model. Balance times improved in both intervention groups (p < 0.001, 95% CI barefoot 5.82-9.22s, shod 7.51-10.92s) compared to controls. The barefoot intervention group showed a significantly less sloped balance learning curve compared to the shod intervention group (p = 0.033). No changes over time or differences between groups were found for the BESS test. Improvements in the dynamic balance task did not differ between individuals exercising barefoot or with footwear although the progression was slower in the barefoot group. The lack of changes in the BESS supports the task-specificity of balance learning effects.

Walking in the Valley of the Buddha: Buddhist Revival and Tourism Development in Bihar

On December 12th 2015 the Eleventh International Tipitaka chanting ceremony in Bodh Gaya reached its conclusion. Some 4,500 senior monks, nuns and lay persons from Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Lao P.D.R., Indonesia, Vietnam, Nepal, Malaysia and India gathered in the shade of the Bodhi Tree to recite the words of the Buddhist Pali canon. Organized into separate national stalls and amplified by speaker systems, for ten days the Mahabodhi temple complex resounded with the words of the Buddha, albeit separated by diverse linguistic intonations.The Tipitaka chanting ceremony in Bodh Gaya is organized annually by the International Tipitika Chanting Council (ITCC), along with many international devotees who share in making offerings. The primary sponsor is the Light of Buddhadharma International Foundation (LBDFI), a non-profit organization dedicated to the restoration of the Buddha sasana in India, promoting pilgrimage, educating monks and supporting Buddhist publications. Although founded by Tibetan Rinpoche Tarthang Tulku, much of the work is carried out by his daughter, Wangmo Dixey, Executive Director of LBDFI and now a regular fixture in Bodh Gaya during the winter season. Although I first met Wangmo in 2006 as a volunteer during the first International Tipitaka chanting ceremony, this was the first time I had the opportunity to participate in the events, in particular, the Buddha Carika, or Dhammayatra (Dharma Walk), organized on December 13, 2015 to the nearby Jethian Valley.The Jethian Valley is 55 km east of Bodh Gaya, around 100 km southeast of Patna near the city of Rajgir between the Sone and Ganges rivers. This beautiful corridor of lush green jungle and rocky hills straddles the jurisdiction of the Nalanda and Gaya districts, and is believed to be one of the main routes taken by the Buddha during his 45 years of wandering and preaching in various parts of India. During the Buddha's time, Rajgir was the first capital of the Kingdom of Magadha, and according to legend, it is believed that King Bimbisara had greeted the Buddha in the scenic Jethian Valley and welcomed the Tathagata to reside in the area of Venu Van (Bamboo Grove) where he gifted land for the Sangha's rain retreats. In the nearby Gridhra-kuta, (Hill of the Vultures) it is also believed that Gautama Buddha delivered some of his most famous sermons and it was in the nearby Saptparni caves that the First Buddhist Council was held. Today Rajgir is a bustling town surrounded by low-lying hills and remains an important pilgrimage center that sits at the confluence of several religious traditions, most notably Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.The Dhammayatra started in the small village of Jethian, where several buses and vans from Bodh Gaya began to arrive in the early morning. In connection with the LBDFI and Nav Nalanda Mahavir (deemed university), a special sangha-dana had been organized in the village involving a group of 30 monks in multi-colored robes from different nationalities. The monks weaved their way through the rustic Jethian village receiving alms in their begging bowls from the local villagers. Following a decorative chalk pathway, the barefoot group of monks moved from door to door with slow and mindful steps. At one point during the walk, a Cambodian monk briefly called me aside and pulled out his tablet beneath his robes and asked if I would take some photos of him receiving the dana in his alms bowl. Clearly the foreign Buddhist monks were honored by the generous village reception and took great pride in renewing sacred ties with the ancient site of Jethian at the entrance of the valley. After weaving their way through the village the group settled in a grassy patch where the monks ate from their begging bowls and village women darted through the group of onlookers offering home-made sweets, such as the popular tilkput.As the mid-day sun began to burn through the morning mist, a large event was organized on the nearby maidan as buses of pilgrims and visitors from surrounding villages continued to arrive. …

The influence of a medio-lateral unstable sole on invertor and evertor activation while descending stairs.

[Purpose] This study examined the effects of a medio-lateral unstable sole on invertor and evertor activation while descending stairs. [Subjects and Methods] The subjects were 30 university students with no history of ankle sprain. They descended stairs while wearing the medio-lateral unstable sole or with bare feet. Electromyography was used to record the activity of the tibialis anterior and peroneus longus and brevis muscles and paired t-tests were used to assess statistical significance. [Results] The medio-lateral unstable sole group showed increased tibialis anterior and peroneus longus and brevis muscle activation compared to the barefoot group. [Conclusion] Medio-lateral unstable sole can be used with exercises to prevent further ankle damage by activating both the inversion and eversion muscles.

Prospective comparison of running injuries between shod and barefoot runners

BackgroundAdvocates of barefoot running suggest that it is more natural and may be a way to minimise injury risk. In contrast, opponents believe shoes are needed to adequately cushion and...

Comparison of foot strike patterns of barefoot and minimally shod runners in a recreational road race

BackgroundPrevious studies of foot strike patterns of distance runners in road races have typically found that the overwhelming majority of shod runners initially contact the ground on the rearfoot. However, none of these studies has attempted to quantify foot strike patterns of barefoot or minimally shod runners. This study classifies foot strike patterns of barefoot and minimally shod runners in a recreational road race. MethodsHigh-speed video footage was obtained of 169 barefoot and 42 minimally shod distance runners at the 2011 New York City Barefoot Run. Foot strike patterns were classified for each runner, and frequencies of forefoot, midfoot, and rearfoot striking were compared between the barefoot and minimally shod groups. ResultsA total of 59.2% of barefoot runners were forefoot strikers, 20.1% were midfoot strikers, and 20.7% were rearfoot strikers. For minimally shod runners, 33.3% were forefoot strikers, 19.1% were midfoot strikers, and 47.6% were rearfoot strikers. Foot strike distributions for barefoot and minimally shod runners were significantly different both from one another and from previously reported foot strike distributions of shod road racers. ConclusionFoot strike patterns differ between barefoot and minimally shod runners, with forefoot striking being more common, and rearfoot striking less common in the barefoot group.

Barefoot Running: The Effects of an 8-Week Barefoot Training Program.

Background:It has been proposed that running barefoot can lead to improved strength and proprioception. However, the duration that a runner must train barefoot to observe these changes is unknown.Hypothesis:Runners participating in a barefoot running program will have improved proprioception, increased lower extremity strength, and an increase in the volume or size of the intrinsic musculature of the feet.Study Design:Randomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 2.Methods:In this 8-week study, 29 runners with a mean age of 36.34 years were randomized into either a control group (n = 10) who completed training in their regular running shoes or to an experimental barefoot group (n = 14). Pretraining tests consisted of a volumetric measurement of the foot followed by a strength and dynamic balance assessment. Five subjects completed the pretests but did not complete the study for reasons not related to study outcomes. Participants then completed 8 weeks of training runs. They repeated the strength and dynamic balance assessment after 8 weeks.Results:Significant changes from baseline to 8 weeks were observed within the barefoot group for single-leg hop (right, P = .0121; left, P = .0430) and reach and balance (right, P = .0029) and within the control group for single–left leg hop (P = .0286) and reach and balance (right, P = .0096; left, P = .0014). However, when comparing the differences in changes from baseline to 8 weeks between the barefoot and control groups, the improvements were not significant at the .05 level for all measures.Conclusion:Although statistically significant changes were not observed between the pre- and posttest evaluations in strength and proprioception with the 8-week low-intensity barefoot running regimen, this does not necessarily mean that these changes do not occur. It is possible that it may take months or years to observe these changes, and a short course such as this trial is insufficient.

소방용 가죽제안전화 착용이 신체평형성에 미치는 영향

본 연구에서는 소방용 가죽제안전화 착용이 신체평형성에 미치는 영향을 조사하여 소방공무원의 안전을 위한 기초자료 제공을 목적으로 하며 연구에서 얻어진 결과를 제시하면 다음과 같다. 정적평형성 검사를 위한 눈감고 한발서기와 쿠션 위에 서기와 동적평형성 검사인 평균대 걷기와 눈감고 10 m 걷기에서 맨발과 소방용 가죽제안전화 착용간의 통계적 유의함은 나타나지 않았다. 화재진압과 구조구급을 담당하는 집단간의 평형성비교에서 맨발과 소방용 가죽제안전화 착용간의 통계적 유의함은 나타나지 않았다. 근무경력에 따른 소방공무원의 평형성 검사 결과 눈감고 한발서기에서 맨발의 경우 경력간의 통계적의 유의함이 나타났으며, 나머지 검사에서는 통계적으로 유의하지 않았다. The aim of study intends to investigate effect of weight of fire leather boot for physical balance and to provide the base data for the safety of firefighter. The results of the study are as follows. Static balance tests with closed-eyes foot balance, opened-eyes foot balance on cushion and dynamic balance tests with beam walking, closed-eyes walking at 10 m, barefoot group and fire leather boot group is not statistically significant. For balance comparisons between firefighting and rescue & EMS was not statistically significant between barefoot and fire leather boot. For balance checks about career, closed-eyes foot balance is appeared statistically significant between career groups and the rest of the test results are not statistically significant.

Use of Beach Shoes for Foot Protection during the Bangkok Flood of 2011

Foot injury was common as a result of the Bangkok flood of 2011. In the future, this type of injury should be prevented to lessen the burden during a disaster. The study was performed to ascertain what type of footwear is appropriate for volunteer rescue workers during a flood. The study was carried out during the flood in November 2011 at Siriraj Hospital. There were 15 volunteers enrolled in the study. None of the volunteers had any foot deformity or injury before the study. Participants were divided into 3 groups of 5 volunteers: group A, the barefoot group; group B, the high top shoe group; and group C, the beach shoe group. All volunteers worked in the areas close to Siriraj Hospital and were followed up after 5 days of rescue work. Prevalence of foot and ankle injuries, satisfaction regarding work conditions and willingness to use the shoes were subjectively evaluated. Wearing of beach shoes during rescue was satisfactory during the early phase of the flood. The age range of volunteers was 20-28. In the group A, most volunteers were barely satisfied with conducting rescue work in water with bare feet, that bare feet were good for working on a wet surface and were 'just satisfied' to not satisfied that bare feet were good for work on dry surfaces. In group B, most of the volunteers had opinions similar to group A with the exception that they felt better while they were working on dry surfaces. In group C, most volunteers were significantly more satisfied under all three conditions. Foot injury occurred in 2 volunteers from group A. Beach shoes offer adequate foot protection during flood rescue.

Influence of high-heeled shoes on venous function in young women

Walking with high-heeled shoes is a common cause of venous complaints such as pain, fatigue, and heavy-feeling legs. The aim of the study was to clarify the influence of high-heeled shoes on the venous return and test the hypothesis that women wearing different styles of high-heeled shoes present an impaired venous return when compared with their values when they are barefoot. Thirty asymptomatic women (mean age, 26.4 years) wearing appropriately sized shoes were evaluated by air plethysmography (APG), a test that measures changes in air volume on a cuff placed on the calf, while they performed orthostatic flexion and extension foot movements and altered standing up and lying down. The test was repeated in four situations: barefoot (0 cm), medium heels (3.5 cm), stiletto high heels (7 cm), and platform high heels (7 cm). The APG values of venous filling index (VFI), ejection fraction (EF), and residual volume fraction (RVF) were divided into four groups according to heel height and compared by repeated-measures analysis of variance. RVF was increased in the groups wearing high heels (stiletto and platform) compared with the barefoot group (P < .05). RVF was increased in the medium-heel group (3.5 cm) compared with the barefoot group (P < .05), and despite the lack of statistical significance, the medium-heel group showed lower values of RVF compared with the two high-heel groups. The EF parameter followed the opposite tendency, showing higher values for the barefoot group compared with the other three groups (P < .05). Values for VFI were similar in the three situations evaluated. High heels reduce muscle pump function, as demonstrated by reduced EF and increased RVF values. The continuous use of high heels tends to provoke venous hypertension in the lower limbs and may represent a causal factor of venous disease symptoms.