Abstract
Objective: This study compared the effects of streamlined shoes on dynamic gait and foot plantar pressure in healthy young adults. Background: With the importance of ankle and lower extremity mechanism, streamlined shoes are contributing to a static gait factors. However, the study of dynamic gait factor is still insufficient. Method: Sixty subjects were randomly allocated to two groups: experimental group(n=30) and control(n=30), respectively. The experimental group performed streamlined shoes, whereas the control group applied usual shoes. Main outcome measurements were assessed contact time, step length and foot plantar pressure using gait analysis with the treadmill. Independent t-test was used to compare the both groups. Results: Compared with control group, contact time of forefoot, midfoot and hindfoot decreased significantly in experimental group(p<.05), Step length increased significantly in experimental group(p<.05). Foot plantar pressure of midfoot and hindfoot increased significantly in experimental group(p<.05), whereas that of forefoot did not show significantly in experimental group(p>.05). Conclusion: Our findings suggest that streamlined shoes was more effective than usual shoes in dynamic gait change including contact time and step length and foot plantar pressure in healthy young adults. Application: The results of streamlined shoes might help to control for the gait of industrial workers.