Features of high heeled shoes
Changes in Spatio-temporal parameters: Gait in high heel shoes
Temporal Parameters
- Shorter swing time
- Shorter step length
Increased double support time
Spatial Parameters
- Reduced stride length
- Smaller step width
Changes in gait kinematics: Gait in high heel shoes
Knee
- Increased knee flexion at foot strike and mid-stance
- Reduced peak overall knee flexion and at toe-off
Ankle
- Increased Peak plantarflexion throughout gait cycle, especially at foot strike and toe off
Changes in gait Kinetics: Gait in high heel shoes
Knee
Increase in knee flexion and
extension moments
Ankle
Decrease in peak plantarflexion
moment
Foot Pressure
Increase in peak pressure under forefoot and all metatarsals
Changes in muscular activity: Gait in high heel shoes
Gastrocnemius
Constant contraction of lateral gastrocnemius throughout gait cycle
Rectus Femoris
Increased rectus femoris activity at initial contact and toe off
Tibialis Anterior
Increased tibialis anterior activity at initial contact
Implications of these changes
- Heels reduce base of support – changes in spatio temporal parameters seen to keep LOG within the reduced BOS.
- Reduced heel cushioning leads to poor GRF absorption ability – compensation by shorter step length.
- Heel height places foot in plantarflexion, which brings the GRF vector closer to the axis of the ankle – increases the vertical impact loading in gait.
- Increased knee flexion at foot strike increases magnitude of external knee flexion moments – a compensatory mechanism for shock absorption.
- Plantarflexion puts the foot in supinated position – reduced pronation – reduced shock absorption capability at foot.
Setting up your own gait analysis lab is now easier than ever. To learn more about GaitON’s gait analysis modules, contact us today!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
GAYATRI SURESH (PT)
Gayatri Suresh (PT) is a Biomechanist who has completed her B.P.Th from DES College of Physiotherapy and M.P.T (Biomechanics) from SRM College of Physiotherapy, SRMIST. Her field of clinical expertise is in movement assessments through video analysis. Apart from her work at Auptimo, she works as a Clinical Specialist at Rehabilitation Research and Device Development, IIT Madras. She has been conferred with gold medals for her Research presentations and for securing First rank with distinction in her MPT degree respectively
References
- Zeng, Z., Liu, Y., Hu, X. et al. Effects of high-heeled shoes on lower extremity biomechanics and balance in females: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Public Health 23, 726 (2023).
- Anna Mika, Łukasz Oleksy, Piotr Mika, Anna Marchewka, Brian C. Clark, The influence of heel height on lower extremity kinematics and leg muscle activity during gait in young and middle-aged women, Gait & Posture, Volume 35, Issue 4, 2012, Pages 677-680.