Lower Extremity Muscle Morphology and Plantar Loading During Squatting with Different Heel Heights
Objective: Although it is widely reported that high-heeled changes gait pattern in terms of motions and forces throughout the body, the biomechanics while high-heeled squatting has not been examined. This study aimed to explore the acute effects of different heel heights on muscle
morphology and plantar loading during high-heeled squatting. Methods: Fourteen healthy females performed squats on high-heeled shoes with different heights: flat (0.8 cm), moderate (4.0 cm), and high (7.0 cm). Muscle thickness and pennation angle of selected lower limb muscles were
measured by ultrasound imaging. Plantar pressure distribution and COP trajectory during an entire squatting motion were recorded. Results: As the heel height increased, the average and peak pressure consistently increased in the heel and hallux regions, while reversely changed in MF
and LF regions. In addition, the selected lower limb muscles except for the lateral gastrocnemius and vastus medialis showed significant differences in muscle thickness and pennation angle between heel heights. Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate that increased heel height
would enhance the immediate effects on muscle morphology as well as plantar pressure redistribution potentially causing lower limb muscle fatigue and injuries.
Keywords: High-Heeled Shoes; Muscle Thickness; Pennation Angle; Plantar Pressure; Ultrasound
Document Type: Research Article
Affiliations: 1: Faculty of Sports Science, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 90-924, China 2: Department of Automation, Biomechanics and Mechatronics, Lodz University of Technology, Lodz, 315211, Poland
Publication date: 01 May 2020
- Journal of Medical Imaging and Health Informatics (JMIHI) is a medium to disseminate novel experimental and theoretical research results in the field of biomedicine, biology, clinical, rehabilitation engineering, medical image processing, bio-computing, D2H2, and other health related areas.
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