title: A case study of Chinese bound feet: application of footprint analysis.
abstract: Foot print patterns of the bound feet of a 90-year-old Chinese female were made to obtain insight into the ergonomic consequences of a Chinese custom that caused significant disabilities for many women throughout history. Pressure patterns were evaluated using the techniques applied to standard thumb print analsyis. A digital summary of the pressure patterns were compared to the patterns obtained from a normal subject. The outcomes indicated that the bound foot produced greater plantar tissue pressures than the non-bound foot. These observations help explain the discomfort, gait abnormalities, and disabilities exhibited by many older women with bound feet living in China today. Although foot-binding is no longer practiced, this study offers an ergonomic perspective on a custom practiced in China for centuries.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Boise State University, Boise, Idaho, USA. ureischl@boisestate.edu
authors.forename: Uwe
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Reischl
authors.forename: Vidja
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Nandikolla
authors.forename: Conrad
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Colby
authors.forename: Budimir
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mijović
authors.forename: Hsian-Chuen
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Wei