Article

High-heeled shoes are associated with instability and falling, leading to
injuries such as fracture and ankle sprain. Knowledge of the motion of the body's
center of mass (COM) with respect to the center of pressure (COP) during
high-heeled gait may offer insights into the balance control strategies and
provide a basis for approaches that minimize the risk of falling and associated
adverse effects. The study aimed to investigate the influence of the base and
height of the heels on the COM motion in terms of COM-COP inclination angles (IA)
and the rate of change of IA (RCIA). Fifteen females who regularly wear high
heels walked barefoot and with narrow-heeled shoes with three heel heights
(3.9cm, 6.3cm and 7.3cm) while kinematic and ground reaction force data were
measured and used to calculate the COM and COP, as well as the temporal-distance
parameters. The reduced base of the heels was found to be the primary factor for
the reduced normalized walking speed and the reduced frontal IA throughout the
gait cycle. This was achieved mainly through the control of the RCIA during
double-leg stance (DLS). The heel heights affected mainly the peak RCIA during
DLS, which were not big enough to affect the IA. These results suggest young
adults adopt a conservative strategy for balance control during narrow-heeled
gait. The results will serve as baseline data for future evaluation of patients
and/or older adults during narrow-heeled gait with the aim of reducing the risk
of falling.
CI - Copyright (c) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
- Hauts talons

Langue : ANGLAIS