Anthropometric influences on dynamic foot shape: Measurements of plantar three-dimensional foot deformation

Abstract

Purpose: Advances in scanner technology enable the capture of feet during walking. Knowledge of dynamic deformation is essential for fundamental research and application-oriented improvements in terms of comfortable and functional footwear. The core hypothesis of our study is that there is a relationship between dynamic foot measures and the anthropometric dimensions age, gender and body mass index.

Methods: We measured the dynamic foot shape of 129 subjects (77 female, 52 male) with a plantar dynamic scanner system. During stance phase we captured maximum values (MaxDyn) and changes (ΔDyn) of length, width, and height measures as well as angles and indices of feet. We identified relationships between foot measures and anthropometric dimensions by two statistical methods: analysis of variance (ANOVA) between matched groups and multiple regression analysis within whole sample size.

Results: MaxDyn values of foot width measures are higher in overweight subjects. Most important predictors of MaxDyn are static measures and gender, regarding values that characterise the longitudinal arch as well as lateral ball length. More dynamic deformation was found in ball and arch angle as well as medial ball length and ball width of overweight subjects and in width measures of women. Multiple regression analysis detects body weight as an important predictor for changes in foot width measures as well as arch height and angle.

Conclusion: The ability to collect foot measures during natural walking is the basis for the following findings. First, our study confirms that static foot measures can be used as basic design criteria for footwear. Second, our study points out the influence of factors like gender and body weight on dynamic foot morphology. Consideration of these additional factors can essentially improve design methods and particularly the fit of footwear.

Keywords:

• dynamic scanning
• dynamic foot deformation
• footwear design
• anthropometry
• comfort
• customisation

Notes

* = p < 0.05; critical p-value for inclusion of variables = p ≤ 0.025; Static = static value of foot measure.