Many studies have been conducted on the sole of the foot in which the foot’s length and width, floating toe, and planter arch have been employed as foot sole characteristics.
Although it seems that these measurements and judgments have been largely dependent on the tester’s subjectivity. The data reliability and objectivity have been examined in only a few studies.
This study aimed to examine the reliability and objectivity of the sole type, morphological values, and judgment values of the sole, which were measured by employing the Pie method, namely, the handprint/footprint manufactored by the Pilot Ink Co., Ltd. We first measured 65 university students’ soles with type 1 and, subsequently, 44 with type 2. Among these, 44 students consented to being measured again on another day. Reliability was examined by the degree of agreement between the measured and judgment values of types 1 and 2 on two occasions. Objectivity was examined by the degree of agreement between the measured and judgment values of type 1 using two testers. The intraclass correlation coefficient was utilized for the agreement-degree of the measured values, and the Kappa coefficient was employed for the agreement-degree of the judgments.
The results of the analysis revealed that there were no significant differences between the two measurement values and judgment values of types 1 and 2. Furthermore, their reliability coefficients were high. The results also demonstrated no significant differences between the measured values and judgment values of the two testers for type 1. Moreover, their reliability coefficients were high. In conclusion, it was considered that the reliability and objectivity of the morphological values of the sole and the judgment values of floating toes and arches by employing the Pie method were high.
