Abstract:

Purpose: To specify the relationships between shoe usage and the development of foot deformities, balance, and functional activity performance. Methods: Seventy healthy subjects whose mean age was 22.2±1.7 years were participated in the study. The Foot Wear Assessment Score was used to assess the sufficiency of shoes. Total Foot Deformity Score, Flamingo Balance Test, Star Excursion Balance Test, vertical jump test, 10 meter walk test and heel rise test were conducted to specify foot deformities, static balance, dynamic balance, jumping height, gait speed and the activity of the plantar flexor muscles, respectively. All functional tests were performed with and without shoes to clarify the effect of shoes on function. Results: An association was determined between foot deformities and the two parameters of The Foot Wear Assessment Score, sole material and heel height. When the subjects were compared in the performance tests while barefoot and wearing shoes, a significant difference was found for dynamic balance, jumping height, gait speed, and the activity of the plantar flexors (p<0.05). However, static balance was not affected by the usage of shoes (p>0.05). Conclusion: This result implies that it is important to choose the appropriate shoes because while the performance of some functional activities is enhanced by wearing shoes others cause limitation

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