Change of In-Shoe Plantar Pressure According to Types of Shoes (Flat Shoes, Running Shoes, and High Heels)

BACKGROUND: The type of footwear is one of several factors that affect foot pressure. Despite its usefulness in identifying pathology and preventing and treating foot-related diseases, the type of shoes has been investigated and compared in only a few studies. This study aimed to investigate differences in plantar pressure, induced by flat, running, and high-heeled shoes in healthy, young women. METHODS: A total of 27 healthy women (27 feet) with a mean age of 21.5 ± 2.03 years were included in this study. Based on demographic data, radiologic measurements, clinical scores, temporal gait parameters, and kinematic parameters of gait, we confirmed the participants had normal feet. Then, pedobarographic data were measured by dividing each foot into seven regions to compare the three types of shoes. Peak plantar pressure and pressure-time integral were calculated using the Pedar-X system. The one-way analysis of variance and the Kruskal-Wallis test with Mann Whitney U-test were used for statistical analyses. RESULTS: Regarding the 7 regions of the foot, flat shoes resulted in a significantly higher pressure than running shoes in the hallux and lesser toes and the highest pressure in the metatarsal head (MTH) 3–5 and the hindfoot. In contrast, in the MTH 1 and MTH 2 regions, the high-heeled shoes had the highest measured pressure, followed by the flat shoes. Lastly, there was no high pressure in running shoes in any region except for the midfoot compared to the other shoes. CONCLUSIONS: It can be inferred from our findings that flat and high-heeled shoes can generate a considerable burden on specific parts of the foot, which will aid in choosing appropriate shoes. Also, wearing running shoes places less burden on the overall foot.