• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.218-223
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• 2022

Purpose: This study sought to identify the effects of an insole applied for the flexible flat-foot condition on dynamic balance and ankle muscle activities during the Y-balance test (YBT). Methods: Thirteen flexible flat-footed adults and an equal number of normal-footed adults were enrolled. The dynamic balance of the subjects was measured using the YBT, which is a reach test. While they were reaching forward with their foot, the percentage maximum voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) of the tibialis anterior, peroneus longus and medial and lateral gastrocnemius were measured and analyzed. The flat-footed group then applied the ready-made insoles and underwent the YBT again. A comparison of the distance and muscle activity was conducted using YBT, not only between the flat-footed and control group, but also between the flat-footed group before and after the application of the insole. Results: Between the groups, the anterior reach distance in the flat-footed group was significantly lower, but there were no significant differences observed in the posteromedial and posterolateral directions. With the insole, the reach distance of the flat-footed group was significantly increased in the anterior and posterolateral direction compared to the control group. With the insole, the lateral gastrocnemius activity significantly decreased compared to trials without the insole in the flat-footed group, but there were no significant differences in the other muscles. Conclusion: The insole for flat-footed subjects can maintain the medial arch of the foot, and it may help enhance functional and mechanical dynamic balance in people with flat feet.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.224-228
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• 2018

Purpose: The most common cause of plantar ulceration is an excessive plantar pressure in patients with peripheral neuropathy. Foot orthosis and therapeutic footwear have been used to decrease the plantar pressure and prevent the plantar ulceration in in diabetes patients. We investigated whether protective sock with functional insoles reduce plantar pressure while walking in 17 diabetes patients. Methods: An in-shoe measurement device was used to measure the peak plantar pressure while walking. Peak plantar pressure data were collected while walking under two conditions: 1) wearing diabetic sock and 2) wearing the protective sock with functional insoles. Each subject walked 3 times in 10-m corridor under three conditions, and data were collected in 3 steps in the middle of corridor with in right and left feet, respectively. Pared t-test was used to compare the peak plantar pressures in three plantar areas under these two conditions. Results: The protective sock with functional insoles significantly reduced the peak plantar pressure on the lateral rearfoot, but significantly increased the peak plantar pressure on the middle forefoot, and medial midfoot (p<0.05). However, there were not significant in medial and lateral forefoot, lateral midfoot, and medial rearfoot between diabetic sock and the protective sock conditions (p>0.05). Conclusion: The protective sock with functional insoles reduced plantar pressures in the rearfoot and supported the medial longitudinal arch. However, it is necessary to change the position of metatarsal pad in the insole design of forefoot area to prevent diabetic foot ulceration.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.12 no.12
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• pp.117-123
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• 2021

The purpose of this study is to convergence comparison the ankle joint angle change during walking of college students in their 20s with flat foot according to the heel height of insole shoes. Qualisys Track Manager Software ver. 2.8 (Qalisys Track Manager) was used for 15 college students. Functional shoes with insoles were manufactured, and the heel heights of the shoes were set to 3cm and 7cm. The subjects wore shoes with two high heels and gaited by attaching a reflex marker to the side of the ankle joint. The angle change of the ankle joint was measured in the gait stance phase. The angle of the ankle joint significantly decreased both heel strike, foot flat, midstance, and toe off to the heel height increased when the subjects with flat feet wore insole shoes. Therefore, it is thought that flat feet should wear low shoes when wearing insoles to reduce the fatigue of the soles and to walk comfortably.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.49-57
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• 2015

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to identify whether static and dynamic balance in young men were influenced by the different height of insoles in their shoes. Methods : Eighteen healthy young men (mean $20.61{\pm}1.38years$) were recruited for this study. The subjects' static and dynamic balance were assessed while wearing three different height' insoles (0cm, 2cm, 3cm) in their tennis shoes. Anterioposterior (AP) and mediolateral (ML) sway velocity was measured for 20 seconds using a force plate (Good balance system, Finland) under four conditions including normal standing with eyes open and with eyes closed, and tandem standing with eyes open and with eyes closed. The Functional Reach Test (FRT) and Timed Up & Go (TUG) were also performed for each subject under each condition. Results : 1) ML and AP sway velocities in young men were significantly different according to the height of the insole in normal standing with eyes open and eyes closed. 2) ML and AP sway velocities in young men were not different according to the height of the insole in tandem standing with eyes open. 3) ML sway velocities in young men were significantly different according to the height of the insole in tandem standing with eyes closed, whereas AP sway velocities did not differ by height of the insole in tandem standing with eyes closed. 4) FRT scores in young men were significantly different according to the height of the insole. 5) TUG scores in young men were not significantly different according to the height of the insole. Conclusions : This study's results indicate that the static and dynamic balance in young men can be influenced by shoe insole height.

• Journal of Korean Society of Industrial and Systems Engineering
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.184-192
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• 2015

Korea has already entered into an aging society. In recent decades, the health problems for seniors has received considerable interest. We often see the elderly who have been struggled from discomfort or illness of the foot. Those foot related problems mainly cause from the use of improper shoes. Recently, shoe makers sell the shoes for seniors, so called comfort shoes, but the shoes are too expensive for seniors to buy easily. In this paper, we develop cheap insoles for seniors as an alternative of the comfort shoes and suggest the systematic process for the insoles development. This systematic process is as follows: 1) Survey the literature about the market of insole, 2) Investigate the standard size of body and foot for the seniors in Korea, 3) Analyze the customer needs by survey, 4) Study the walking pattern by experiments, and 5) Develop the novel insole for the seniors to relieve the inconveniences related with foot. From the newly developed insoles, the company B gains the sales increasing effect approximately 30% over through the increase in consumer satisfaction and company reputation and secures for intellectual property rights. Using the database from Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science, the reliability of developing technology of the functional insole has been obtained. The seniors are also enable to choose an alternative of comfort shoes for foot health. In the future, the insoles developed from this study have wide applications in the medical, cosmetic fields, and leisure sports fields. Accordingly, it seems to require more systematic studies utilizing Walk Analyzer and Foot Pressure Meter.

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.113-119
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• 2020

Purpose: A flatfoot that fails to form a longitudinal foot arch is a common lower limb deformity in children. This study evaluated the structural and functional effects of the insole for pediatric flexible flat foot (PFFF). Materials and Methods: Twenty-nine PFFF patients (20 boys and 9 girls, 58 feet) with bilateral symptomatic flatfoot deformities between February 2017 and May 2019 were included in this study. Sixteen patients (32 cases, study group) were treated with a pressured based 3-dimensional printing insole, and 13 patients (26 cases, control group) were followed up regularly without any treatment. Flatfoot was diagnosed by a lateral talo-first metatarsal angle of more than 4° in convex downward and talocalcaneal angles of more than 30° and a calcaneal pitch of less than 20°. The foot pressures, including the midfoot pressure, total foot pressure, and the ratio of the midfoot pressure to the total foot pressure, were evaluated by pedobarography. The clinical scores were assessed using the visual analogue scale (VAS), American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS), and Pediatrics Outcomes Data Collection Instrument (PODCI) scores. Results: The mean age of the study group was 9.16 years, and the mean age of the control group was 7.73 years. The mean follow-up period was 16 months. The change in the lateral talocalcaneal angle was -4.664°±1.239° in the study group and -0.484°±1.513° in the control group. A significant difference in the amount of change of the lateral talocalcaneal angle was observed between the two groups (p=0.034). The midfoot pressures were similar in the two groups. Conclusion: Pressure based customized 3-dimensional printing insole in PFFF may have some effect on the hindfoot bony alignment, but it does not affect the changes in midfoot pressure.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.113-122
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• 2015

Objective : The purpose of this study was to analyze the foot-pressure distribution of 2D(2 dimensional form) & 3D(3 dimensional form; a customized arch-fit for posture correction) insoles for assessing their biomechanical functionality. Background : Recently there has been increased interest in both foot health and foot pain patients. Analysis of the plantar pressure was often used to solve the problems of the foot displayed by such people as rheumatoid arthritis patients. Method : Subjects who participated in this study were 17 female university students who had no previous injury experience in lower limbs and a normal gait pattern. The shoe size of all subjects was 240 mm. Two models of insoles of 2D(typical flat insole - 2 dimensional form) and 3D(special production - 3 dimensional form) were selected for the test. Using the Pedar-X system and Pedar-X insoles, 4.0 km/h of walking speed, and a compilation of 50 steps walking stages were used to analyze foot-pressure distribution. Results : Results of the foot-pressure distribution and biomechanical functionality on each insole were as follows; analyses of mean plantar pressure, maximum plantar pressure, maximum vertical GRF, and plantar pressure curve shape all showed overall low plantar pressure and GRF. Conclusion : This can be evaluated as an excellent insole for low levels on the plantar pressure and GRF. Therefore, it is possible to conclude that according to this analysis the 3D Customized Arch-fit Insole was better than 2D insole on the basis of these criteria.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.89-98
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• 2018

The purpose of this study was to compare the foot plantar pressure and temperature changes of the developed combat boots with functional impact absorption and ventilation insole. A total of 11 male subjects(age: $21.8{\pm}2.2yrs$, height: $174.3{\pm}3.6cm$, weight: $71.6{\pm}8.6kg$, foot length: $261.0{\pm}1.0mm$) were recruited to compare the foot plantar pressure and temperature changes of the three types of combat boots: Combat boots A (generalized combat boots), Combat boots B (developed combat boots with ventilation function), Combat boots C (Application of ventilation function and impact absorption insole to combat boots B). Pedar-X and a portable thermistor temperature sensor were used to measure the foot plantar pressure parameters and the internal temperature of the combat boots, respectively. One-way ANOVA was used to compare the results of plantar pressure and temperature changes. The results were as follows: First, in the foot plantar pressure parameters, combat boots C showed the significant lower maximum foot plantar pressure in the right/left rear foot compared with combat boots A and average foot plantar pressure in the left foot compared with combat boots B. Second, after 40 minutes from the start of walking, the developed combat boots B and C showed the significant lower temperature than the general combat boots A.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.487-494
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of metatarsal pad (MP) compared with barefoot and MP with using different insoles on gait. 15 healthy females who had no history of injury in the lower extremity with an average age of 22.7 year(SD=1.35), height of 160 cm(SD=3.4), weight of 48.8 kg(SD=5.52) and average foot size of 232.5 mm(SD=6.8) participated in this study as the subjects. The subjects walked on a treadmill under four different experimental conditions: 1) walking with barefoot, 2) walking wearing MP 3) walking wearing a soft insole with MP(SIMP), 4) walking wearing a rigid insole with MP(HIMP). During walking, foot pressure data such as force, contacting area, peak pressure, and mean pressure was collected using Pedar-X System(Novel Gmbh, Germany) and EMG activity of lower limb muscles such as tibialis anterior(TA), lateral gastrocnemius(LG), rectus femoris(RF), and musculus biceps femoris(MBF) was gathered using Delsys EMG Work System(Delsys, USA). Collected data was then analyzed using paired t-test in order to investigate the effects of each of experimental conditions. As a result of the analysis, when MP and HIMP were equipped, overall contacting area was increased while the force, peak pressure and the mean pressure were decreased. Especially, when the SIMP was equipped, every data were significantly decreased. In case of EMG, wearing MP, SIMP and HIMP made three muscles(TA, LG, RF)'s activity decrease. A result of the analysis will be able to apply for manufacturing functional shoes, diabetes shoes, senior shoes and lower extremity orthosis. Significance of the study due to a metatarsal pad and the insole is to analyze the changes in muscle strength.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.420-432
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• 2017

This study examined user needs for compression pant development for women with pes planus in their 50s and 60s. A total of 355 women aged 50 to 69 participated in the survey and interview. Questions were asked if they had pes planus, the using condition of foot orthotic, inconveniences during gait, and wearing condition of compression pants. The results showed that 42 (11.8%) women had pes planus. Orthotic insole and arch support were used most frequently. The most uncomfortable aspect of foot orthotic (n=146) was that it was difficult to use unless they were going outside. Participants with pes planus responded that they felt discomfort on the inner area of propodium, metatarsus, ankle, and knee during gait. The purchase and wearing rate of compression pants were not high; however, compression pants were purchased with specific needs and purposes. Respondents mainly wore the compression pants for sports activities. M size was the most frequently worn size. They preferred high waist type leggings and there was a need to increase the compression strength of the waist, thigh, knee and ankle. Additionally, the ease of donning and doffing were discussed.