Influence of wearing heel-free slippers on walking

Abstract

This study aimed to clarify the influence of wearing heel-free slippers on walking. A total of 14 healthy women participated as subjects in this study. Using a walking analysis devise and surface electromyography, the walking parameters andmuscleactivities were compared between wearing normal and heel-free slippers. As a result, the step length, stride length, and double stancetimeweresignificantlyshorterfor heel-free than normal slippers. However, no significant difference was noted in the stance time, swing time, walking speed, or cadence. Concerning muscle activity, when using heel-free slippers,the activity of rectus femoris and gastrocnemius muscles significantly increased during the stance phase; however, no significant difference was noted in the activity of the biceps femoris or tibialis anterior muscle, nor in any muscle activity during the swing phase. Our findings suggest that wearing heel-free slippers is associated with a shorter step length,but facilitates the same walking speed as normal slippers by stepping quickly, due to which the activity of rectus femoris and gastrocnemius muscles may increase effectively.