title: The relationship between arch height and foot length: Implications for size grading.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Medial longitudinal Arch Height is synonymous with classifying foot type and conversely foot function. Detailed knowledge of foot anthropometry is essential in the development of ergonomically sound footwear. Current Footwear design incorporates a direct proportionate scaling of instep dimensions with those of foot length. The objective of this paper is to investigate if a direct proportional relationship exists between human arch height parameters and foot length in subjects with normal foot posture.
  
  
  METHODS
  A healthy convenience sample of 62 volunteers was recruited to participate in this observational study. All subjects were screened for normal foot health and posture. Each subject's foot dimensions were scanned and measured using a 3D Foot Scanner. From this foot length and arch height parameters were obtained. Normalised ratios of arch height with respect to foot length were also calculated. The arch height parameters and the normalised arch ratios were used interchangeably as the dependent variables with the foot length parameters used as the independent variable for Simple Linear Regression and Correlation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Analysis of foot length measures demonstrated poor correlation with all arch height parameters.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  No significant relationships between arch height and foot length were found. The predictive value of the relationship was found to be poor. This holds significant implications for the current method of proportionate scaling of footwear in terms of fit and function to the midfoot region for a normative population.
authors.affiliation: CSHER, Faculty of Health Sciences, Staffordshire University, Leek Road, Stoke on Trent, ST4 2DF, United Kingdom. Electronic address: Matthew.Hill@staffs.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.affiliation: CSHER, Faculty of Health Sciences, Staffordshire University, Leek Road, Stoke on Trent, ST4 2DF, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Roozbeh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Naemi
authors.affiliation: CSHER, Faculty of Health Sciences, Staffordshire University, Leek Road, Stoke on Trent, ST4 2DF, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Branthwaite
authors.affiliation: CSHER, Faculty of Health Sciences, Staffordshire University, Leek Road, Stoke on Trent, ST4 2DF, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Nachiappan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chockalingam
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000886:Anthropometry; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D005528:Foot / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009929:Organ Size; D012775:Shoes
keywords: Allometry; Anthropometry; Footwear; Footwear grading; Footwear last; Footwear sizing; Medial longitudinal arch