Barefoot running has been proposed to reduce vertical loading rates, which is a risk factor of running injuries. Most of the previous studies evaluated runners on level surfaces. This study examined the effect of surface inclination on vertical loading rates and landing pattern during the first attempt of barefoot running among habitual shod runners. Twenty habitual shod runners were asked to r...

BACKGROUND Tendon healing differs between the sexes. Comparisons in outcome between the sexes after an Achilles tendon rupture are often not possible because of the small cohort (<20%) of women. PURPOSE To evaluate whether there are any differences in outcome between the sexes by combining the data from 2 large randomized controlled trials that used identical outcome measures. STUDY DESIGN ...

BACKGROUND Soft tissue defects of the posterior heel of the foot present difficult reconstructive problems. This paper reports the authors' early experience of five patients treated with a lateral calcaneal artery adipofascial flap. METHODS Between 2003 and 2007, five patients (3 males and 2 females) with soft-tissue defects over the posterior heel underwent a reconstruction using a lateral c...

BACKGROUND Several footwear design characteristics are known to have detrimental effects on the foot. However, one characteristic that has received relatively little attention is the point where the sole flexes in the sagittal plane. Several footwear assessment forms assume that this should ideally be located directly under the metarsophalangeal joints (MTPJs), but this has not been directly ev...

As an outgrowth of our interest in dense wireless sensing and expressive applications of wearable computing, we have developed the world’s most versatile human-computer interface for the foot. By dense wireless sensing, we mean the remote acquisition of many different parameters with a compact, autonomous sensor cluster. We have developed such a low-power sensor card to measure over 16 continuo...

In contrast to western countries, foot complaints are rare in Africa. This is remarkable, as many African adults walk many hours each day, often barefoot or with worn-out shoes. The reason why Africans can withstand such loading without developing foot complaints might be related to the way the foot is loaded. Therefore, static foot geometry and dynamic plantar pressure distribution of 77 adult...

Equinus, varus, cavus, and adduction are typical signs of congenital talipes equinovarus (CTEV). Forefoot adduction remains a difficulty from using previous corrective methods. This study aims to develop a corrective method to reduce the severity of forefoot adduction of CTEV children with moderate deformities during their walking age. The devised method was compared with 2 other common correct...

BACKGROUND High plantar pressures are associated with the development of foot ulcers in people with diabetic neuropathy. The effect of terrain on plantar pressures during walking has not been fully explored. METHODS Twenty 23- to 40-year-old subjects with no known musculoskeletal pathology walked across three terrains: padded carpet (R), grass (G), and concrete (C) while wearing Novel Pedar (...

Fashion is the fastest growing category in online shopping. However, research in finding “interestingness” in online fashion has been restricted to the domain of computer vision. This paper aims to address the effectiveness of using a product’s textual description for showcasing fashion in terms of its attractiveness, i.e. the ability to draw consumer’s attention, interest, and in turn their en...