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Abstract
Objective
This study investigated the effects of the balanced incline shoes on the stabilized walking, fatigue reduction, improvement of blood circulation and prevention of foot related disease for the pregnant women.
Methods
The seven 7~9 month pregnant women and three maternities within 3 months after delivery without a history of disease performed the cycles for each of the two walking conditions: wearing balanced incline shoes and flat shoes. The differences between the two walking conditions were statistically investigated including three dimensional motion analysis, footprint pressures and blood flow. To find out any possible difference between these two kinds and among the subjects, the statistical tool was utilized with one-way layout design.
Results
Of 10 subjects, seven subjects showed the significantly decreased in distance of both knee with balanced incline shoes than flat shoes (P<0.05). Those with the balanced incline shoes had a walking pattern whose knee moved inward about 6 mm, compared to those with the flat regular ones. Over plantar pressure measurements for all ten, it also revealed statistically significant differences that the balanced incline shoes decreased its pressure 15% and that the pressure heavily on heel area was distributed outward along the arch (P<0.05). The blood stream velocity belonged to C (200~300 µm/sec) or D (100~200 µm/sec) for the nine before wearing the balanced incline shoes. However, it was found to be enhanced in A (>600 µm/sec) or B (400~600 µm/sec) after they put them on, indicating 1~2 part equivalent improvement. The blood stream velocity showed a incremental tendency after wearing balanced incline shoes.
Figures and Tables
Figure 1
Shoes used in this experiment. (A) Balanced inclined shoes, (B) Flat shoes, (C) The structure of the balanced inclined shoes insole.
Figure 2
Scenes of experiments. (A) Motion Capture Test, (B) Foot pressure measurement, (C) Blood flow rate measurement.
Figure 3
Foot pressure distribution. Foot scan: left, flat shoes/right. balanced incline shoes. Graph: redline, the average pressure distribution in balanced incline shoes/greenline, the average pressure distribution in flat shoes.
Figure 4
Measurement of blood flow rate in big toe of each subject. Measurement: Blood flow rate of the flat shoes/blood flow rate of the balanced inclined shoes. A: over 600 µm/sec, B: 400~600 µm/sec, C: 200~400 µm/sec, D: 100~200 µm/sec, E: under 100 µm/sec.
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