Abstract
The purpose of this study is to identify foot shapes of elderly women by classifying their foot types according to the shapes of sole (plantar view) of foot and analyzing the characteristics of each type. The subjects were 321 elderly women over 60 years of age. Their right feet were measured indirectly by using .scanner. The anthropometric measurements consist of 32 items. They were measured during the months of July and August in 2001. The results and discussions of this study are as follows. First, in analyzing sole of the foot of elderly women, the shapes of sole were classified as W-type (wider width for its length and severe alteration), A-type (similar to W-type but with narrower width), D-type (protruded outside) and H-type (even foot width). Second, the most characteristic sole type in elderly women was W-type. In this type, the width was wider for its length, the first metatarsophalangeal protrusion was severe and the toes were gathered at the center. Hopefully, understanding the shapes of sole and characteristics of each sole type will help to develop suitable shoes for elderly women.
