Gait Characteristics With and Without Shoes
2 University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Texas, USA
3 University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Texas
When it comes to data collection for 3-D computerized gait analyses, there seems to be no standardization between laboratories on having the subjects walk barefoot, or in standardized shoes provided by the laboratories themselves. The aim of this study was to determine the differences in temporal parameters, kinematics, joint moments, powers and work while walking in standardized shoes and barefoot. It was designed as a within subject comparative study of walking under two conditions: wearing standardized low heel sports shoes (SS) and barefoot (BF). Twenty-one unimpaired subjects recruited from the local university community were participated. Results of the study revealed that, second double support was reduced during BF walking, resulting in less total stance time and ultimately a shorter step and stride length. Additionally, knee flexion during swing was greater during SS than BF gait. In conclusion, among a normal population of adults, over 50% of the population displayed gait patterns for BF walking that are significantly different from their comparable SS walking patterns which implies that footwear conditions should be consistent during data collection stage of the computerized gait analysis, especially when the comperative studies would be made, such as, effectiveness of the surgical corrections, baclofen pump or Botox
Keywords : Gait, shoes