Author: Wong, Kin Fong
Title: Forefoot pressure of female patients with hallux valgus in shoes with stretchable and non-stretchable upper design
Degree: M.Sc.
Year: 2011
Subject: Hallux valgus.
Shoes -- Design.
Hong Kong Polytechnic University -- Dissertations
Department: Department of Health Technology and Informatics
Pages: ix, 69 leaves : ill. (some col.) ; 30 cm.
Language: English
Abstract: Background: Hallux valgus (HV) is a common foot problem frequently found in women who require proper shoe fitting for remedying painful bunion. They are usually suggested to wear shoes with larger toe box and a stretchable upper to reduce pressure exerted on the bunion. The in-shoe pressure at the medial and lateral border of forefoot has not been fully evaluated as that at the plantar surface of forefoot. Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine the dynamic foot pressure of hallux valgus women in their most frequently worn shoes and in shoes with a stretchable upper. Specific areas of interest were the plantar foot, the medial first metatarsal head, the lateral fifth metatarsal head and the medial distal phalange. Method: Eight separate FlexiForce® sensors were employed to record the dynamic foot pressure of 30 hallux valgus female subjects in the above mentioned two types of shoes. Paired t-test was used to analyze the collected data. Results: The toe boxes of most subjects' own shoes were narrower than their feet. Significant lower pressure and pressure time integral were found at the medial first metatarsal head and plantar fifth metatarsal head in the stretchable upper shoes (p<0.05). Conclusions: The narrow toe boxes of the subjects’ shoes squeezed their forefeet and increase the height of their transverse metatarsal arches which subsided in the stretchable upper shoes. Feet pronation was reduced when the subjects wore their own shoes, as the gait was adjusted to protect the bunion from pressing on the inner wall of shoes. Moreover, most subjects preferred to wear nice-looking shoes although they felt that the shoes were less comfortable.
Rights: All rights reserved
Access: restricted access

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