Department of Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan.
Ergonomics. 2012;55(2):194-200. doi: 10.1080/00140139.2011.583359. Epub 2011 Aug 19.
This study investigates gender and walking speed (80%, 100%, 120% and 140% of preferred walking speed (PWS)) effects on plantar pressure parameters. In total, 30 healthy males and females, aged between 20 to 60 years, participated in this study. A plantar pressure measurement device was used to measure the peak pressure, peak force and contact area in six plantar zones. The results indicate that males had higher peak pressure and peak force in the medial toe and forefoot, as well as greater contact area in the central forefoot and heel areas. Females had greater contact area in the midfoot. Increased walking speed caused a significant increase in most of the response measures and the increase became more obvious when the speed was higher than 120% PWS. Although there was no significant interaction between gender and PWS, some gender differences were found.
Using percentage PWS provides a new perspective to discuss the effects of gender and walking speed on plantar pressure distribution. This study's findings can be very useful for footwear and orthotics design for different genders.
本研究旨在调查性别和行走速度（80%、100%、120%和 140%的个体习惯行走速度）对足底压力参数的影响。共有 30 名年龄在 20 至 60 岁之间的健康男性和女性参与了这项研究。使用足底压力测量装置测量了六个足底区域的峰值压力、峰值力和接触面积。结果表明，男性在中脚趾和前脚掌处的峰值压力和峰值力较高，而在中足和足跟区域的接触面积较大。女性在中足处的接触面积较大。行走速度的增加会导致大多数反应测量值显著增加，而当速度高于 120%个体习惯行走速度时，增加更为明显。尽管性别和个体习惯行走速度之间没有显著的交互作用，但仍发现了一些性别差异。
使用个体习惯行走速度的百分比提供了一个新的视角来讨论性别和行走速度对足底压力分布的影响。本研究的发现对于不同性别群体的鞋类和矫形器设计非常有用。
