Developed shoes that enhance gait parameters without increasing muscle activity

UMIN ID: UMIN000054260

Registered date:26/04/2024

Basic Information

• Recruitment status: Complete: follow-up complete
• Health condition(s) or Problem(s) studied: healthy adults
• Date of first enrollment: 2021/09/01
• Target sample size: 10
• Countries of recruitment: Japan
• Study type: Interventional

Intervention(s)

Participants were randomly assigned to two sequences of different shoes. In sequence 1, participants wore the developed shoes first; in sequence 2, participants wore the common shoes first. INTERVENTION: The developed shoes have structural and form characteristics. (The most important structural feature of the developed shoes was the use of high elastic synthetic resin foam in the midsole.) This absorbs the shock when the heel touches the ground and generates resilience, thereby facilitating load transfer to the forefoot. In terms of shape, the developed shoes have two characteristics. First, the heel is longer toward the back and V-shaped. The purpose of this shape is to increase stability from heel contact to mid-stance and to promote heel contact and smooth forward transfer of pressure center with a wide supporting base surface. The toe spring angle is increased to enhance the propulsion of the forward movement of the center of gravity from mid-stance to heel-off.
Control: RAKUWALK, a commercial shoe brand, was used as the general shoe.

Outcome(s)

• Primary Outcome: The spatiotemporal gait data :walking speed (m/s), cadence (steps/min), step length (cm), stride length (cm), stance time (s), swing time (s), single-stance time (s) and double-stance time (s) Muscle activities(EMG): The bellies of the right anterior tibialis muscle (TA), the right gastrocnemius medialis (GM), and the right gastrocnemius lateralis (GL)

Key inclusion & exclusion criteria

• Age minimum: 18years-old
• Age maximum: 65years-old
• Gender: Female
• Exclude criteria: The exclusion criteria were as follows: individuals with foot pain within the previous 6 months, those with previous foot surgery, those with congenital or acquired foot deformities, and those with any other disabilities that affect gait.

Related Information

• Primary Sponsor: Kyoto Tachibana University
• Source(s) of Monetary Support: Kyoto Tachibana University