Background: High-heeled shoes can change spinal alignment and feet movement, which leads to muscle fatigue and discomfort in lumbopelvic region, legs, and feet while walking. Objects: This study aimed to identify the effects of different shoe heel heights on the walking velocity and electromyographic (EMG) activities of the lower leg muscles during short- and long-distance walking in young females. Methods: Fifteen young females were recruited in this study. The experiments were performed with the following two different shoe heel heights: 0 ㎝ and 7 ㎝. All participants underwent an electromyographic procedure to measure the activities and fatigue levels of the tibialis anterior (TA), medial gastrocnemius (MG), rectus femoris (RF), and hamstring muscles with each heel height during both short- and long-distance walking. The walking velocities were measured using the short-distance (10-m walk) and long-distance (6-min walk) walking tests. Results: Significant interaction effects were found between heel height and walking distance conditions for the EMG activities and fatigue levels of TA and MG muscles, and walking velocity (p<.05). The walking velocity and activities of the TA, MG, and RF muscles appeared to be significantly different between the 0 ㎝ and 7 ㎝ heel heights during both short- and long-distance walking (p<.05). Significant difference in the fatigue level of the MG muscle were found between the 0 ㎝ and 7 ㎝ heel heights during long-distance walking. In addition, walking velocity and the fatigue level of the MG muscle at the 7 ㎝ heel height revealed significant differences in the comparison of short- and long-distance walking (p<.05). Conclusion: These findings indicate that higher shoe heel height leads to a decrease in the walking velocity and an increase in the activity and fatigue level of the lower leg muscles, particularly during long-distance walking.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of unilateral shoulder bag weight and heel heights on trunk muscle activities. This study recruited 40 healthy women in their twenties. Electromyography activities of rectus abdominis muscle, external abdominal oblique muscle, internal abdominal oblique muscle and erector spinae muscle during standing position were measured using a surface electromyography system. The overall muscle activities of the trunk muscles were significantly increased in the contralateral trunk muscles (p<.05). Inaddition, the trunk muscles overall activities on the contralateral side without the shoulder bag was positive correlation with the heel height and unilateral shoulder bag weight (p<.05). Both high-heeled wear and unilateral shoulder bags are fashion items that cause asymmetry in the trunk muscles of women in their twenties. These findings suggest that the increase in the weight and heel height of the unilateral shoulder bag in women cause asymmetry of trunk muscle activities.

The objectives of this study were to investigate whether heel height changes in the U.S. market occur in a cyclical pattern and heel heights show greater within-year variability over time. Heel height data from U.S. Vogue’s spring and fall editions were analyzed over the time period 1950~2014. A total of 1581 pieces of data were measured in millimeter units using Adobe Illustrator and standardized by dividing the height of the heel by the shoe length through the curved sole line. To analyze the cycle pattern of heel heights, the yearly averages were standardized by using three-year moving average technique to average out the irregular components of time series data and give a better indication of the long-term fluctuation of heel height. To identify the degree of within-year variability of heel height, the standard deviation of the average measurements for a year was calculated, and then decade averages were drawn from the yearly averaged standard deviation. One-way ANOVA was conducted to compare the within-year variability of data in heel height over the time period studied by decade. The results showed: First, there was a trend toward higher heels from the early 1950s to 2011. Second, four cyclical movements of heel height were observed from 1950 to 2007, and heel heights gradually decreased after 2008. Third, the within-year variability significantly increased over time, especially after the 1980s.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the changes in the electromyographic (EMG) activity of the trunk and the lower limb muscles during quiet standing on an unstable surface while wearing low-heeled shoes (3 ㎝), high-heeled shoes (7 ㎝) and without footwear (0 ㎝) in 20 young healthy women. The subjects stood on an unstable surface for 30 seconds. We examined the differences in the EMG data of the erector spinae, rectus abdominis, biceps femoris, rectus femoris, tibialis anterior, and the gastrocnemius medialis muscle. A one-way repeated analysis of variance was used to compare the effects of shoe heel height on the EMG activity with the level of significance set at α=.05. The EMG activity of the erector spinae and the rectus femoris were significantly increased (p<.05) in the subjects who wore elevated heel height, while the tibialis anterior and the gastrocnemius medialis were significantly decreased (p<.05). However, the rectus abdominis and the biceps femoris exhibited no significant difference among the three conditions. The above results indicate that wearing high-heeled shoes may change the postural strategy. The findings of this study suggest that excessive heel height could contribute to an increased fall risk during quiet standing.

This study aimed to investigate the influence of shoe heel height and muscle fatigue on static and dynamic balance in young women. Thirty women who were used to wearing high heels volunteered to participate in this study. The shoe heel heights were 0 ㎝ and 7 ㎝. And ankle plantar flexor fatigue was experimentally induced. Static and dynamic balance were measured using the one leg standing test (OLST) and the star excursion balance test (SEBT) in anterior, posteromedial, and posterolateral directions, respectively. Values in the OLST (shoe heel height 0 ㎝, 28.83±3.24 sec to 26.12±6.13 sec; and 7 ㎝, 24.75±7.09 sec to 16.86±9.32 sec) and the SEBT in anterior (shoe heel height 0 ㎝, 71.02±4.57% to 69.50±3.66%; and 7 ㎝, 64.17±3.53% to 59.61±4.06%) and posteromedial (shoe heel height 0 ㎝, 92.01±5.61% to 90.38±7.10%; and 7 ㎝, 83.09±7.29% to 76.83±9.28%) directions were significantly reduced when fatigue-inducing exercise was performed (p<.05). Furthermore, within these parameters, there were significant interaction effects between shoe heel height and fatigue condition (p<.05). These findings suggest that shoe heel height and muscle fatigue contribute to some changes in static and dynamic balance in young women, probably leading to negative effects on physical function during a variety of activities of daily living.

목적 : Tetrax(Tetrax Portable Multiple System)를 이용하여 맨발, 운동화, 킬힐의 착용에 따라 균형능력에 차이가 있는지를 알아보고자 한다. 연구방법 : 본 연구는 2010년 8월 31일～9월 7일 D대학에 재학 중이고, 연구참여에 동의한 여학생 20명을 대상으로 평가를 실시하였다. 균형평가는 Tetrax를 통해 시각과 체성 감각의 유무, 머리의 좌우와 앞뒤의 변화를 요구하는 8개의 자세에서 검사를 시행하였고, 맨발, 운동화, 킬힐은 무작위 선정하여 시행하였다. 결과 : 킬힐을 착용했을 때 안정성 지수(Stability index)가 맨발 또는 운동화 착용보다 높았고, 체중 분포 지수(Weight distribution index)는 정상치 범위보다 낮았으며, 낙상 지수(Fall index)는 위험범위에 속하였다. 결론 : 킬힐을 착용했을 때 맨발이나 운동화보다 자세불안정으로 인하여 낙상 위험이 높은 것으로 나타났다.

The purpose of this study is to measure the effect of change in heel height on lower extremities activity of young women on high-heeled shoes that young women prefer from more kinetic and realistic perspective as this study changes the degree of slope on a treadmill. The study subjects are 15 young and healthy women who do not have any external injuries or problem with walking and understand the purpose of this study clearly. They wore three different height of heels(1cm, 7cm, 12cm) and walked on a treadmill at a constant speed of 3km/h. EMG value of four muscles (anterior tibial muscle, gastrocnemius muscle, straight muscle of thigh, and biceps muscle of thigh) were collected when walking and the change according to the height of heels were analyzed using one-way ANOVA. Multiple comparison analysis on anterior tibial muscle and heel height showed that the group with 12cm heel showed significantly high muscle activation compared to the groups with 1cm and 7cm heels. The result of this study can be used for various perspectives from inferring and mediating problems caused by wearing high heels on different ground slopes for a long time

This study aimed to investigate the effect of differing heel heights on the electromyographic (EMG) activity in vastus medialis (VM) and vastus lateralis (VL) during stair ascending and descending activities. A total of 26 healthy women volunteered to perform stair-ascending and stair-descending tasks with 3 heel heights: barefoot, 3 cm, and 7 cm. The EMG activities of the VM and VL were recorded during the tasks. During the stair ascending and descending tasks, the EMG activities of both VM and VL significantly changed with differing the heel heights (p<.05). Moreover, the EMG activities of VM and VL during the stair ascending task were significantly higher than the corresponding values during the stair-descending task (p<.05). However, there were no significant differences between the VM:VL EMG ratios for the 3 heel heights (p>.05). The VM:VL EMG ratios between the 2 tasks differed significantly in the 7 cm high heel condition (p<.05). Despite an increase in the EMG activities in both VM and VL during stair ascending and descending tasks, there was no change in the relative EMG intensities of VM and VL, which was measured by calculating the VM:VL ratio this result indicates that no VM:VL imbalances were elicited. The relative EMG intensities of VM and VL during stair descent were lower than the corresponding values during the ascent, suggesting that VM and VL may show an imbalance in the eccentric activation during the weight-acceptance phase. This study provides useful information that will facilitate future research on how heel height affects muscle activity around the knee joint.

The purpose of this study was to assess the peak plantar pressure distribution under foot areas according to the height of heel lifts in obese adults and non-obese adults during walking. Thirty-one participants volunteered for this experiment. The average body mass index (BMI) value of the fourteen subjects in the obese group was 26.5±1.4 ㎏/㎡ (from 25.1 to 29.3 ㎏/㎡), and of seventeen subjects in the non-obese group was 20.0±1.1 ㎏/㎡ (from 18.7 to 22.7 ㎏/㎡). The subject ambulated while walking in the sneakers, walking with 2 cm heel lifts, and walking with 4 cm heel lifts in the shoes. We measured the peak plantar pressure under the hallux, 1st, 2nd, 3~4th, and 5th metatarsal head (MTH), mi foot, and heel using F-scan system. The obese group had significantly higher peak plantar pressure under all foot areas than the non-obese group regardless of the height of heel lifts (p<.05). The peak plantar pressure under the 5th MTH and heel was significantly decreased, also the peak plantar pressure under hallux, 1st, and 2nd MTH was significantly increased according to the height of heel lifts in the obese group and non-obese group (p<.05), We proposed that individuals with heel lifts in shoes should be careful, as there is high plantar pressure under the forefoot.

본 연구의 목표는 신발 굽 높이에 따른 Kager씨 삼각 면적의 방사선영상 변화와 후종족부의 표면온도 변화를 알아보고자 연구하였다. 카이거씨 면적은 단순 방사선촬영검사와 인피니티 영상저장전송시스템을 이용하여 측정 하였다.후종족부의 표면온도는 전산화적외선체열검사를 이용하여 측정하였다. 운동화 착용 대상자에게 신발 굽 높이가 다른하이힐을 착용시켜 카이거씨 삼각 면적과 후종족부의 표면온도 차이를 분석 하였다. 하이힐 대상자들은 운동화 대상자들에 비하여 카이거씨 삼각 면적이 0.88cm², 후종족부의 표면온도가 1.4℃ 각각 감소하였다. 최고신장과 최저신장의 카이거씨 면적과 표면온도의 차이는 운동화와 하이힐에서 각각 0.9cm²,1.2cm²,1.6℃,0.5℃이며 모두 미세한 차이를 나타냈다. 최고체중과 최저체중의 카이거씨 면적과 표면온도의 차이는 운동화와 하이힐에서 각각 1.8cm²,0.8cm²,1.1℃,0.2℃이며 체중이 높을수록 카이거씨 면적과 표면온도가 감소하였다. 하이힐 최장시간 착용자와 최저시간 착용자의 카이거씨 면적과 표면온도의 차이는 각각 0.8cm², 1.4℃, 이며 착용시간이 증가함에 따라 카이거씨 면적과 표면온도가 감소하였다. 결론적으로 하이힐을 장시간 착용하면 후종족부 통증과 혈류 장애를 유발 할 것으로 고려된다.