Comparison of foot morphology between chinese and mongolian children

Abstract

Knowledge of foot morphology is fundamental to optimize children’s footwear design. The aim of this study is to compare the foot morphology of Chinese and Mongolian children from 7 to 14 years old. Relative data of 339 Mongolian children and another matched 379 Chinese children were collected using 3D foot scanner. The findings of this study are as follows: i) the absolute foot length of Chinese children is significantly greater than that of Mongolian children of the same age; ii) Mongolian children show significantly greater heel width, toe thickness, lateral malleolus height, instep height and ball girth compared to Chinese children of the same age. The foot width of Chinese children is significantly greater than that of Mongolian children of the same age; iii) Chinese children have a higher risk of hallux valgus than Mongolian children of both sexes. Small variations in foot morphology discussed in this paper could be useful when considering the shoes design for Mongolian and Chinese children.