Foot shape and shoe fitting comfort for elderly Japanese women

• Published in: Ningen kogaku. The Japanese journal of ergonomics Vol. 37; no. 5; pp. 228 - 237
• Main Authors: DOHI, Masako, MOCHIMARU, Masaaki, KOUCHI, Makiko
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan Ergonomics Society 2001
• ISSN: 0549-4974; 1884-2844
• DOI: 10.5100/jje.37.228

The relationship between foot morphology and foot troubles caused by shoes were investigated for elderly women (60-81 years) in order to improve the fitting comfort of shoes. Foot troubles were investigated by questionnaires for 50 elderly women. The relationship between foot length and foot girth was examined for 91 elderly and 149 young adult women (18-27 years). Fifty elderly women and 166 young adult women were divided into three groups respectively according to their foot length. The two age groups of the same foot length were compared for 17 foot dimensions, three angular measurements, two indices, and estimated scores for four 3D shape characteristics. The results show that 1) elderly women have a larger foot girth than young adult women of the same foot length, and that 2) elderly women have smaller toe I angle and larger toe 5 angle, higher ball and instep heights, and longer length from heel to the medial malleolus. Using subjects with troubles, the causes of the trouble were investigated by comparing subjects with a specific trouble and subjects without it. The trouble on the 1st toe was related to small toe I angle, the trouble on the 5th toe to small toe 5 angle, and the trouble on the 4th toe to short length from heel to the medial malleolus. The troubles on the 1st toe and on the lateral malleolus was related to the specific characteristics of elderly women. The implication of these relationships to the improvement of the shoe comfort was discussed.