Methods for assessing footwear comfort: a systematic review

Perceived footwear comfort influences wearability and can impact on physical mobility, performance foot-related complaints. To date, there has been no comprehensive review of the characteristics or methods for measuring perceived comfort. The aims this systematic were to identify, appraise synthesise literature used assess comfort, report their validity reliability. Electronic databases systematically searched articles screened appraised methodological risk bias using a modified Quality Index checklist. Data assessment tools (methods, populations, types, reliability/validity) was extracted by two reviewers. A narrative synthesis undertaken describe findings. Ninety-nine involving 6980 participants assessed as eligible review. variety including visual analogue scale (VAS), Likert-type scales, ranking scales questionnaires. studies have covered range both healthy pathological, ranging between ages 8 75 years, most commonly adults. Investigations into reliability limited, whilst some had evidence moderate high reliability, findings population dependent. Developmental independent testing typically not undertaken. Risk variable across studies. performed wide populations types. Whilst select measures results There is scope further research in different populations.