Lower Arch Height Research Articles

Effects of obesity and foot arch height on gait mechanics: A cross-sectional study.

Foot arch structure contributes to lower-limb joint mechanics and gait in adults with obesity. However, it is not well-known if excessive weight and arch height together affect gait mechanics compared to the effects of excessive weight and arch height alone. The purpose of this study was to determine the influences of arch height and obesity on gait mechanics in adults. In this study, 1) dynamic plantar pressure, 2) spatiotemporal gait parameters, 3) foot progression angle, and 4) ankle and knee joint angles and moments were collected in adults with normal weight with normal arch heights (n = 11), normal weight with lower arch heights (n = 10), obesity with normal arch heights (n = 8), and obesity with lower arch heights (n = 18) as they walked at their preferred speed and at a pedestrian standard walking speed, 1.25 m/s. Digital foot pressure data were used to compute a measure of arch height, the Chippaux-Smirak Index (CSI). Our results revealed that BMI and arch height were each associated with particular measures of ankle and knee joint mechanics during walking in healthy young adults: (i) a higher BMI with greater peak internal ankle plantar-flexion moment and (ii) a lower arch height with greater peak internal ankle eversion and abduction moments and peak internal knee abduction moment (i.e., external knee adduction moment). Our results have implications for understanding the role of arch height in reducing musculoskeletal injury risks, improving gait, and increasing physical activity for people living with obesity.

Die Druckmessplattform als klinisch-diagnostisches Instrument zur Analyse der Fußstatik nach dem Foot Posture Index

The foot posture index is a static measurement that splits up the foot posture into neutral, pronatus and supinatus. However, the relation between the foot posture and the plantar pressure standards is not well known. For this, the objective of this research is to check the relationship between the foot posture and plantar pressure standard. SUBJECTS AND MATERIAL: 144 participants (101 women and 43 men), mean age 25.4 ± 6.3 years, were measured for the FPI. The pedobarometric measurement was made with the plantar pressure platform, we measured total surface (cm2), mean pressure (kPa) and maximum pressure (kPa), these measurements were correlated with the FPI measurements. 288 feet were analysed with regard to the correlation between point 5 of FPI (medial arch height) and the plantar surface total area (p = 0.038): lower arch height and supinated foot are related to the maximum pressure points with p = 0.029. The total contact surface can be determined with the final score of the FPI, the scores of FPI 3, 5 and 6 FPI (r2 = 0.059, p < 0.001) with a 5.9 % prediction. The supinatus foot is correlated statistically significantly through the maximum pressure and the plantar surface with the pronatus foot.

여성 농업인 발 유형에 관한 연구

This study was performed to offer the basic data for the design of farm shoes. 265 Korean female farmers aging between the 40s to the 80s volunteered for this study and we measured 40 items on each foot with the 3D foot scanner. First, the differences between farmers` feet and non-farmers` feet were analyzed. Farmers` feet were thicker in the instep areas, but had lower arch height than non-farmers` feet. In addition, farmer`s feet were tilted to the inside. Next, eight factors were extracted among the 40 measuring items, and the classification criteria of the foot shape was analyzed. The important factors were: size of foot length and volume of ankle, malleolus height and size, volume of the front part of ankle, medial & lateral ball width, and vertical size of foot. Third, three clusters according to the foot shapes were categorized by cluster analysis of eight factor scores. Foot type 1 was medium in foot length, big in thickness, large in lateral ball width, small in toe 1 angle, and tilted to the inside. Foot type 2 was long and slim, and big in toe 5 angle. Foot type 3 was short in foot length, medium in volume of the front part of ankle, large in medial ball width, and big in toe 1 angle. Despite its shortness, foot type 3 was thick and showed severe deformation in toe 1. Lastly, the frequency distributions of the foot types in each age group were analyzed. Female farmers of the forties showed high frequency in type 1 and other age groups showed high frequency in type 2. The older female farmers showed higher frequency of type 3.

Development of a quantitative assessment system for correlation analysis of footprint parameters to postural control in children

It is known that neurological impairments impact postural stability, but few studies have observed the biomechanical influence of foot structure on balance. The aim of this study was to develop an integrated device for investigating the relationship between static balance and the foot structure, derived from a footprint image, under clinical tests of sensory interactions. Quantitative analysis of the footprint image acquired during balanced standing was developed as an indirect measure of the longitudinal arch, an important structural component of the foot. A data pool was collected from 64 children, 32 children from each of two age groups (4–5 years old versus 8–10 years old). Six common footprint parameters derived from the footprint angle or contact area were used to investigate the relationship between footprint parameters and postural stability. Postural balance ability was evaluated by analyzing sway area in posturography under visual or somatosensory confliction conditions. The footprint parameters, derived from the footprint image, inter-correlated well with each other (p < 0.01). The relationships between footprint parameters and sway area were correlated only for younger children under visually deprived (eye close) and cutaneous unreliable (standing on compliant foam) conditions. This implies that the correlations between footprint parameters and sway area are very subtle which can only be observed in unreliable visual and somatosensory conditions of younger children. In addition, younger children with a lower arch height would have a smaller sway area and better posture control which might result from more cutaneous somatosensation or a flexible biomechanical structure in low arch feet during conditioned static standing.