Effect of high-heeled shoes on the parameters of body posture

Abstract

STUDY DESIGN.: The study group consisted of 90 young, healthy females, aged 20 to 25 years. Three types of measurements were conducted for each female: without shoes, with 4-cm heels, and with 10-cm heels. OBJECTIVE.: The aim of this study was to assess the impact of high-heeled shoes on chosen parameters characterizing body posture. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA.: For a long time, high-heeled shoes have been an attribute of femininity. Currently, there is an increasing amount of research being published investigating the effect of high-heeled shoes on selected biomechanical parameters. METHODS.: The study used a photogrammetric method, based on the chamber projection and Moiré phenomenon. The study was performed using predesignated points of anthropometric measures. We used 19 photogrammetric parameters characterizing body posture. RESULTS.: Results of the measurements showed no significant differences using the significance level P < 0.05 between the measurements taken with no shoes, with 4-cm high-heeled shoes, and with 10-cm high-heeled shoes. Statistically significant results were obtained only for the angle of trunk bend parameter. The value of the P coefficient in the Kruskal-Wallis analysis of variance test for the angle of trunk bend parameter was P = 0.0140. Analysis based on the multiple comparison test indicated differences between the group wearing no shoes, and those wearing 4-cm heels (P = 0.0226), and between the group wearing no shoes and the group wearing 10-cm heels (P = 0.0459). CONCLUSION.: High-heeled shoes increased the forward inclination of the trunk. This article shows that there are only certain trends for some parameters that require further scientific investigation. Copyright © 2013 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited.