title: Inter-joint sharing of total support moments in the lower extremities during gait in narrow-heeled shoes of different heights.
abstract: The study aimed to investigate the influence of the base and height of shoe heels on the total support moment (Ms) and individual joint contributions during gait. Fifteen healthy females walked barefoot and with narrow-heeled shoes (heel heights: 3.9, 6.3 and 7.3 cm) while kinematic and kinetic data were measured. Compared with the barefoot condition, the subjects maintained unaltered Ms in the sagittal plane in shod conditions. This was achieved by increasing the knee extensor moment to compensate for the diminished ankle plantarflexor moments in medium and high heel conditions. In the frontal plane, subjects in shod conditions had to sustain an increased Ms for balance control during late single-leg stance with increased knee abductor and ankle pronator moments as a result of the reduced base of the heels. The results will be helpful for future shoe designs to reduce fall risks and prevent relevant musculoskeletal problems.
authors.affiliation: a Institute of Biomedical Engineering, National Taiwan University , No. 1, Sec. 1, Jen-Ai Road, Taipei 100 , Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Hui-Lien
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Chien
authors.forename: Ming-Wei
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Tung-Wu
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Chien-Chung
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Kuo
authors.forename: Pei-Chen
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Chung
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000843:Ankle Joint / Q000502:physiology*; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena / Q000502:physiology; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000502:physiology*; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology; D012775:Shoes; D016474:Weight-Bearing / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult