title: The effect of gender on foot anthropometrics in older people.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Some questions remain regarding the anthropometric differences between the feet of young men and women, but the gap is much greater when dealing with older adults. No studies were found concerning these differences in an exclusively older adult population, which makes it difficult to manufacture shoes based on the specific anthropometric measurements of the older adult population and according to gender differences.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To identify differences between the anthropometric foot variables of older men and women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional.
  
  
  METHODS
  154 older women (69.0 ± 6.8 y) and 131 older men (69.0 ± 6.5 y).
  
  
  METHODS
  The foot evaluations comprised the variables of width, perimeter, height, length, 1st and 5th metatarsophalangeal angles, the Arch Index (AI), and the Foot Posture Index (FPI). A data analysis was performed using t test and a post hoc power analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Women showed significantly higher values for the width and perimeter of the toes, width of the metatarsal heads, and width of the heel and presented significantly lower values for the height of the dorsal foot after normalization of the data to foot length. The 1st and 5th metatarsophalangeal angles were smaller in the men. There were no differences between men and women with respect to AI and FPI.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overall, the current study shows evidence of differences between some of the anthropometric foot variables of older men and women that must be taken into account for the manufacture of shoes for older adults.
authors.affiliation: Dept of Physiotherapy, Federal University of São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Paiva de Castro
authors.forename: Jose Rubens
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Rebelatto
authors.forename: Thais Rabiatti
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Aurichio
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000886:Anthropometry; D001938:Brazil; D017076:Computer-Aided Design; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005528:Foot / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012984:Software