• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2021

Purpose: This study examined the effects of heel insoles on the static balance and leg muscle activity and posture control strategy during external perturbation. Methods: Thirty healthy young men participated in the study. The subjects underwent two experimental conditions: 1) no heel insole condition (0cm) and 2) wearing heel insole condition (5cm). The static balance was measured using an I-Balance device, which measured the change in the center of gravity (COG). The onset time of muscle activation and muscle activation of the erector spinae (ES), hamstring (HAM), gastrocnemius (GCM) were measured using surface EMG electrodes to determine the change in posture control strategy during external perturbation. Results: The speed and distance of COG were significantly higher in the wearing heel insoles condition than the no heel insole condition (p<0.05). In addition, significant differences in the onset time of the GCM, HAM, and ES muscle activation were observed when there was no heel insole condition during external perturbation (p<0.017). On the other hand, no significant differences in the onset time of muscle activation were observed between GCM and HAM when wearing the heel insole condition during external perturbation (p<0.017). Moreover, muscle activation of the GCM was significantly higher in the wearing heel insoles condition than the no heel insole condition during external perturbation (p<0.05). Conclusion: These findings suggest that heel insoles may have disadvantages, and increased efforts are needed to maintain balance and change the posture control strategy during external perturbation.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.407-413
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• 2014

PURPOSE: We investigated the influence of heel insole and visual control on body sway index with high-heeled shoes. METHODS: The subjects of this study were 61 healthy students. None of the participants had any orthopedic or neurologic alterations. C90 area, C90 angle, trace length, sway average velocity were measured using a force plate by BT4. The variables were measured both with insole and without insole when wearing high-heeled shoes under the conditions of eyes open and eyes closed. The collected data were analyzed using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test and paired t-test. RESULTS: When wearing high-heeled shoes with insole under the conditions of eyes open, trace length, C90 area, velocity were significantly more decreased than without insole (p<.01). When wearing high-heeled shoes with insole under the conditions of eyes closed, only C90 area was significantly more decreased than without insole (p<.05). When wearing high-heeled shoes with insole under the conditions of eyes open, trace length, C90 area, velocity were significantly more decreased than under the conditions of eyes closed (p<.01). CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrates that the use of high-heeled shoes with insole supported from heel to midfoot more increased static balance than without insole under the conditions of eyes open.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.35-45
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• 2008

This study was performed to compare the kinematics among three different safety shoes(type 1: ergonomically designed and high quality shoes, 2: curved and cushioned safety shoes, and 3: regular safety shoes) and to find the effect of insole during walking. Ten healthy subjects were recruited for this study. The range of motion of knee and ankle joint, angle of rear foot and angle of heel contact were measured using a three dimensional motion analysis system. In the second peak, the angle of heel contact showed statistically significant difference between safety shoes and insole, however, there was no statistical significance among three different safety shoes. The angle of ankle increased significantly at initial contact, first peak, the second peak and the toe off phase compared with type 1 and 2 safety shoes, and the angle of ankle showed statistically significant difference between with and without applying the insole. During the first peak, the second peak and the toe off phase, the angle of knee was statistical significance between safety shoes and insole. In heel contact, the angles of Achilles' tendon showed statistically significant difference between safety shoes and insole. The rear foot angles showed statistically significant difference between safety shoes and insole during heel contact and early heel contact. These results suggest that the type 1 safety shoes were superior to others in the statistics, and applying insole could be a possible method to prevent fatigue of lower extremity and musculoskeletal disorders. Further studies are needed to find the effect of ergonomically designed safety shoes and insole on practical value in prevention of musculoskeletal disorder, fatigue and satisfaction of workers.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.131-138
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to analyse the effect of the drop height on lower extremity and lower back kinematics and kinetics during drop landing with the use of raised heel insole. Furthermore we investigated the change that occurred in our body. Joint ROM, eccentric work and contribution to total work were calculated in 11 male college students performing drop landing with 8 motion analysis cameras and 1 forceplate. The result were as follows. First, the ROM and eccentric work were increased in all joints with the increase of the drop height. Second, the ankle ROM and eccentric work were decreased with the use of the insole. Third, the use of the lower back was increased as the use of the ankle decreased with the insole. Based on these results, we can infer that putting on the insole may contribute to chronic injury. We recommend not to use the insole during physical activity.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.23-30
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• 2005

The mailman's shoes should be designed in due consideration of occupational features they spend most of times to walk. For that reason, the shoes required functions to reduce the foot fatigue and to protect body by dispersing the body weight to the whole foot. In this research, for the functional improvement of the insole, insoles are investigated and analyzed by biomechanics experimentation. Under the base of these experimental results, we develop insoles that can reduce the body load and muscular-skeletal disorder. The pressures are concentrated on the metatarsus and heel by the result of analyzing pressure distributions of the using shoes. Accordingly, we offer the prototype functional insole that is ranked from high pressure to low pressure on the base of a shock absorb function. This prototype functional insole is examined for statistical significance by pressure distribution areas. The experimental results show that pressure areas are dispersed to whole foot, for this reason, pressures of the metatarsus and heel are reduced. Results of this research can not only improve the function of insoles which is suitable for occupational features, but also be a base on constructing data bases for biomechanics gait insoles.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.12 no.12
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• pp.117-123
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• 2021

The purpose of this study is to convergence comparison the ankle joint angle change during walking of college students in their 20s with flat foot according to the heel height of insole shoes. Qualisys Track Manager Software ver. 2.8 (Qalisys Track Manager) was used for 15 college students. Functional shoes with insoles were manufactured, and the heel heights of the shoes were set to 3cm and 7cm. The subjects wore shoes with two high heels and gaited by attaching a reflex marker to the side of the ankle joint. The angle change of the ankle joint was measured in the gait stance phase. The angle of the ankle joint significantly decreased both heel strike, foot flat, midstance, and toe off to the heel height increased when the subjects with flat feet wore insole shoes. Therefore, it is thought that flat feet should wear low shoes when wearing insoles to reduce the fatigue of the soles and to walk comfortably.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.79-86
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• 2009

Purpose：The purpose of this study was to investigated the effect of stability on heel-heights of insole in healthy adults. Methods：Subjects of 39 males measured stability index of the Biodex Stability System(BSS) by wearing shoes of 2cm, 5cm insoles including bare feet. The BSS was consisted of a movable balance platform and the platform was interfaced with computer software that enables the device to serve as an assessment of balance performance. Stability index of the BSS included overall stability index(OSI), anteroposterior stability index(APSI), mediolateral stability index(MLSI). In the BSS, subjects were asked to step on to the platform of the BSS and assume a comfortable position while maintaining slight flexion in the knees, looking straight ahead. Subjects were trained for 10min for adaptation to the heel-height of insole and then they maintained double limb stance for 2min. Biodex platform set to convert Lv.8 into Lv.1 gradually. Results：There were statistically significant differences between heel-heights of insole and stability index of OSI, APSI, and MLSI(p<.05). The result of post-hoc test were as follows; 1)OSI had significant differences between bare feet and 2cm, 5cm. 2)APSI had significant differences between bare feet and 2cm, 5cm. 3)MLSI had significant differences between bare feet and 2cm, 5cm(p<.05). Conclusions：We found that the more heels of insole high, the more stability index increases. In particular, balance index of insole above 5cm more increased and we could acknowledge that the insole above 5cm more effected balance of healthy adults.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.80-90
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• 2013

Recently, functional insoles of wedge-type it is for the young to raise their height inserted between insole and heel cause foot pain and disease. Additionally, these have a problem with stability and excessively load-bearing during gait like high-heel shoes. In this study, we compared the changes in biomechanical characteristics of foot with different insole thickness then we will utilize for the development of the insole with the purpose of relieving the pain and disease. Subjects(male, n = 6) measured COP(center of pressure) and PCP(peak contact pressure) on the treadmill(140cm/s) using F-scan system and different insole thickness(0~50 mm) between sole and plantar surface during gait. Also, we computed changes of stresses at the foot using finite element model with various insole thickness during toe-off phase. COP moved anterior and medial direction and, PCP was increased at medial forefoot surface, $1^{st}$ and $2^{nd}$ metatarsophalangeal, ($9%{\uparrow}$) with thicker insoles and it was show sensitive increment as the insole thickness was increased from 40 mm to 50 mm. Change of the stress at the soft-tissue of plantar surface, $1^{st}$ metatarsal head represents rapid growth($36%{\uparrow}$). Also, lateral moments were increased over the 100% near the $1^{st}$ metatarsal as the insole thickness was increased from 0 mm to 30 mm. And it is show sensitive increment as the insole thickness changed 10 mm to 20 mm. As a result, it was expected that use of excessively thick insoles might cause unwanted foot pain at the forefoot region. Therefore, insole thickness under 30 mm was selected.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.479-486
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• 2011

This study determined the effects of the height and the quality of the material of popular heel-up insole on mean plantar foot pressure during walking. Seven healthy college students who are studying at S university in Busan were as participants in this study. After sufficiently explaining about the research to the subjects before the experiment, mean plantar foot pressures were examined using F-Scan Pressure Measure System 5.23 for the gait with shoes inserted insole and the data were compared among the height and the quality of material of insoles. In the result, there was a difference significantly in the mean plantar foot pressure followed the height of insoles both left and right. Especially, mean plantar foot pressure in left indicated significantly lower in 3 cm and 5 cm insoles than in 0 cm and 1 cm insoles. Also mean plantar foot pressure in right showed significantly lower in 3 cm and 5 cm insoles than in 0 cm, and indicated significantly lower in 5 cm insoles than in 1 cm and 3 cm insoles. The mean plantar foot pressure followed the quality of the material of insoles were different significantly. In left, the mean plantar foot pressure of urethane poly-acetyl insole was lower significantly than urethane poly-acetyl inserted air insole, power-gel insole and jelly insole. And the mean plantar foot pressure of urethane poly-acetyl insole was lower significantly than power-gel insole and jelly insole in right. We showed that 3 cm and 5 cm insoles in the height of insoles and Urethane poly-acetyl insole in the quality of material were suitable to reduce a fatigue which is felt in plantar foot during the walking.

• ETRI Journal
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.46-53
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• 2020

Gait analysis is an effective clinical tool across a wide range of applications. Recently, inertial measurement units have been extensively utilized for gait analysis. Effective gait analyses require good estimates of heel-strike and toe-off events. Previous studies have focused on the effective device position and type of triaxis direction to detect gait events. This study proposes an effective heel-strike and toe-off detection algorithm using a smart insole with inertial measurement units. This method detects heel-strike and toe-off events through a time-frequency analysis by limiting the range. To assess its performance, gait data for seven healthy male subjects during walking and running were acquired. The proposed heel-strike and toe-off detection algorithm yielded the largest error of 0.03 seconds for running toe-off events, and an average of 0-0.01 seconds for other gait tests. Novel gait analyses could be conducted without suffering from space limitations because gait parameters such as the cadence, stance phase time, swing phase time, single-support time, and double-support time can all be estimated using the proposed heel-strike and toe-off detection algorithm.