Effects of High Heels on Centre of Pressure Progression during Walking in Young Women

The purpose of this study was to discuss the differences in centre of pressure (COP) spatio-temporal progression during walking between barefoot condition and wearing high heels condition. The data were collected from 35 young women by a combined Footscan® system. The mean COP path, the displacement and phase of COP, the relationship of the peak medial-lateral displacement with time and the plantar pressure of five plantar regions were calculated in both barefoot and wearing high heels condition. The mean COP path from 160 mm to the end in the y-axis direction turned to the lateral again when walking in high heels, but the mean COP path kept shifting to the medial of the foot with an increasing speed when walking barefoot. Compared to walking barefoot, the percentage time of the initial contact phase and the foot flat phase significantly increased in wearing high heels condition. The maximum medial-lateral displacement of the COP and the maximum medial-lateral displacement of the forefoot COP were significantly greater in barefoot condition than wearing high heels, but the maximum anterior-posterior displacement of the COP showed a contrary consequence (p = 0.000; 0.000; 0.000, respectively). An eccentric second lateral shift occurred in forefoot push-off phase indicated a lateral deformation of hallux during walking in high heels. An increased plantar pressure under heel region suggested that the impact from ground reaction force was associated with heel types.