Citation

Demura T, Demura S, Uchiyama M, Kitabayashi T, Takahashi K. Foot (Edinb) 2015; 25(2): 97-100.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.foot.2015.02.004

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Shoes with curved rocker bottom soles may induce an unstable standing posture. This study was aimed to mainly examine the effect of such shoes on the center of pressure (COP) during static standing. Ten healthy young male adults had their COP measured during static standing with four types of shoe conditions (Stretch Walker®: SW (shoes with curved rocker bottom soles), Masai Barefoot Technology®: MBT (similar to SW in form and material), more conventionally soled shoes with a typical toe-spring: MCS, and bare feet: BF) for 60 s. The mean path length and mean velocity of Y (front-back) axis were significantly greater when wearing the MBT than when wearing the SW, and when wearing the SW than when BF or when wearing the MCS. In addition, mean velocity of X (left-right) axis, area surrounding root mean square, root mean square, and root mean square of Y-axis were significantly greater when wearing the MBT than when wearing the SW, MCS, or when BF. In conclusion, when wearing the MBT or SW with rounded sole, static standing posture becomes unstable because of their characteristics as compared with wearing MCS or when BF, but the MBT has a larger sway in the front-back direction than the SW.