• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.295-302
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• 2024

Walking can have a positive impact on cognitive function in adolescents. This study aimed to compare the effects of walking with sneakers and barefoot on cognitive ability in adolescents. Fifty-nine adolescent male students were included in the study and assigned to the control (n = 20), sneaker (n = 19), and barefoot (n = 20) groups. The barefoot and sneakers group performed a 40-min walking exercise four times a week for 12 weeks during the morning physical activity time, while the control group performed self-study. Electroencephalogram (EEG) and brain activity variables were measured before and after the exercise program. The results showed that after 12 weeks, the barefoot group had a significant decrease in Gamma and H-beta waves and a significant increase in sensorimotor rhythm (SMR) and Alpha waves. Conversely, the control group showed a significant decrease in SMR waves and increase in Theta waves. The sneaker group showed a significant decrease in SMR waves alone. In an eyes-open resting state, the barefoot group showed a significant increase in H-beta, M-beta, SMR, and Alpha waves. The barefoot group also had a significant increase in cognitive speed and concentration and a significant decrease in brain stress. Taken together, barefoot walking can effectively enhance cognitive ability in adolescents, as demonstrated by the significant variation in EEG activity. This research highlights the potential benefits of barefoot walking as a simple and effective form of exercise for enhancing cognitive function in adolescents.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.379-385
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• 2013

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to compare kinematics on lower limbs between stair walking with high heel and barefoot in healthy adult women. Methods: 18 healthy adult women were recruited in this study. The subjects performed stair ascent and descent with high heels and barefoot. The experiment was conducted in random order and repeated three times for each stair walking with high heels and barefoot. The movements of lower limb joints were measured and analyzed using a three-dimensional analysis system. Results: The ankle, knee, and hip flexion angles on the sagittal plane exhibited statistically significant differences between stair ascent and descent with high heels and barefoot. The pelvic forward tilt angles showed statistically significant differences only during stair ascent. The ankle inversion, hip abduction and pelvic lateral tilt angles on the frontal plane showed statistically significant differences between stair walking with high heels and barefoot. On the transverse plane, the hip rotation angles showed statistically significant differences between the high-heeled and barefoot gait during stair ascent and descent. However, the pelvic rotation angles showed no statistically significant differences. Conclusion: Therefore, wearing high-heeled shoes during stair walking in daily life is considered to influence lower limb kinematics due to the high heel, and thus poses the risks of pain, and low stability and joint damage caused by changes in the movement of lower limb joints.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.96-107
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• 2005

Objective: The purpose of this study were to investigate the standing balance, dynamic activity in hemiplegic patients according to the types of ankle-foot orthosis(AFO) and to determine the most effective type of AFO for gait training. Method: A prospective study was performed for 16 patients with hemiplegia who was able to walk independently. Static balance and dynamic activity were compared in two condition : 1) barefoot and SPAFO, 2) barefoot and HPAFO. Static balance and dynamic activity characteristics were evaluated by Active Balance while they were standing with in two condition AFO and barefoot. Results: There were significant difference in standing balance between barefoot and wearing SPAFO and HPAFO(p<0.05). There were significant difference in dynamic activity balance between barefoot and wearing SPAFO and HPAFO(p<0.05). There were significant difference in gait speed between barefoot and wearing SPAFO and HPAFO(p<0.05). Conclusion: This study showed that wearing SPAFO and HPAFO gave fair amount of improvement to balance and gait ability of hemiplegic patients.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.153-162
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• 2021

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the difference in the dynamic balance and leg muscle activity of adults in their 20s with or without shoes. Methods: In this study, seven male and 11 female university students in their 20s were randomized to determine the order of being with or without shoes, and the dominant foot was supported on the central platform of dynamic balance according to the order procedure. Using the opposite foot, the distance of leg stretching in the anterior, posterior medial, and posterior lateral directions and the muscle activity of the supporting leg were measured. Muscle activity measurement sites were attached to the dominant vastus medialis oblique muscle, vastus lateral oblique muscle, tibialis anterior muscle, peroneus longus muscle, and lateral gastrocnemius muscle. Results: As a result of this study, the distance of leg stretching was significantly increased in the anterior, posterior medial, and posterior lateral directions when barefoot rather than when wearing shoes (p < 0.05). The muscle activity of the vastus medial and lateral oblique muscles was significantly increased in all three directions when barefoot rather than when wearing shoes (p < 0.05). The muscle activity of the tibialis anterior was significantly increased in the anterior direction when barefoot (p < 0.05), the peroneus longus muscle was significantly increased when it was barefoot in the posterior medial direction (p < 0.05), and the lateral gastrocnemius muscle activity significantly increased when barefoot in the posterior direction (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The movement of the legs is freed when barefoot as compared to when wearing shoes, and being barefoot can effectively activate muscle activity and improve balance ability.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.69-81
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• 2005

In this study using two-dimensional system of the analysis of image, when normal males in their twenties who have normal foot and step with heel first are walking and running, they who are wearing running shoes or barefoot are testing and comparing the exchange factors of heel control. There are following results of this test by verifying them with T-Test. 1) When they are running, there are two big different gap which is $6.05^{\circ}$ between barefoot and wearing the running shoes. The former is $174.79^{\circ}{\pm}6.31$ and the latter is $180.84^{\circ}{\pm}4.69$. But it is not statistically significant. The angle of first step with heel is $100.42^{\circ}{\pm}3.95$ with barefoot and $93.97^{\circ}{\pm}094$ with wearing the running shoes. In this case, it is statistically significant(p<.01) 2) When they are running, the angle of the Achilles' tendon has different gap which is $5.24^{\circ}$ between barefoot and wearing the running shoes. The former is $179.70^{\circ}{\pm}4.23$ and the latter is $184.94^{\circ}{\pm}4.09$. It is not statistically significant. The angle of minimal step with heel is $96.30^{\circ}{\pm}3.07$ with barefoot and $90.84^{\circ}{\pm}0.44$ with wearing the running shoes. In this case, it is statistically significant(p<.01). 3) In the angle of the Achilles' tendon and the angle of first step with heel, when they are walking, the angle of the Achilles' tendon has different gap which is $1.81^{\circ}$ between barefoot and wearing the running shoes. The former is $6.39^{\circ}{\pm}0.83$ and the latter is $8.20^{\circ}{\pm}1.85$. It is not statistically significant. The angle of first step with heel is $2.32^{\circ}{\pm}0.51$ with barefoot and $3.22^{\circ}{\pm}1.44$ with wearing the running shoes. It is not statistically significant. 4) In the angle of the take-off of Achilles' tendon, when they are walking, the angle of the take-off of Achilles' tendon has different gap which is $3.88^{\circ}$ between barefoot and wearing the running shoes. The former is $177.62^{\circ}{\pm}8.78$ and the latter is $173.74^{\circ}{\pm}16.31$. It is statistically significant(p<.05). Therefore, they are running, the angle of the take-off of Achilles' tendon is $178.37^{\circ}{\pm}19.28$ with barefoot and $171.26^{\circ}{\pm}12.18$ with wearing the running shoes. It is statistically significant(p<.05).

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.74-81
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• 2014

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to compare kinematics and kinetics on the knee joint between stair gait with unstable shoes and barefoot in healthy adult women. Methods: Seventeen healthy adult women were recruited for this study. The subjects performed stair ascent and descent with unstable shoes and barefoot. The experiment was repeated three times for each stair gait with unstable shoes and barefoot. Measurement and analysis of the movements of the knee joint were performed using a three-dimensional analysis system. Results: Statistically significant differences in the knee muscle force of semimembranosus, biceps femoris-long head, biceps femoris-short head and sartorius, patellar ligament, medial gastrocnemius, and lateral gastrocnemius were observed between unstable shoes and barefoot gait during stair ascent. Statistically significant differences in the knee muscle force of sartorius, rectus femoris, medial gastrocnemius, and lateral gastrocnemius were observed between unstable shoes and barefoot gait during stair descent. Statistically significant differences in the knee flexor moment of semitendinosus, biceps femoris-long head, biceps femoris-short head, sartorius, rectus femoris, vastus intermedialis, medial gastrocnemius, and lateral gastrocnemius were observed between unstable shoes and barefoot gait during stair ascent. Conclusion: Therefore, wearing unstable shoes during stair gait in daily life is considered to influence knee joint kinematics and kinetics due to the unstable shoes, and thus suggest the possibility that reducing the risks of pain, and knee osteoarthritis, stabilizing the knee joint caused by changes in the loading of the knee joint.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.29-38
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• 2020

Purpose : The purpose of this research was to investigate the effects of barefoot walking on the sandy beach on pain intensity, disability, motor function, sleep satisfaction, and quality of life in the elderly with low back pain (LBP). Methods : A single-blinded randomized controlled trial was conducted involving 32 elderly with LBP who underwent sand walking barefoot (intervention, n=16) or with sneakers (control, n = 16). Both walking methods were carried out for 30 minutes per day, three times a week for four weeks. Pain intensity and disability were assessed using the visual analog scale and Oswestry disability index, respectively. Balance and gait were evaluated using the Berg balance scale and timed up and go test, respectively. Sleep satisfaction was quantified with the Verran and Snyder-Halpern sleep scale. Finally, quality of life was assessed through the WHO quality of life scale's abbreviated Korean version. Results : Compared with the control group, the intervention group showed significant differences in pain intensity (p=.005), disability due to LBP (p=.002), static balance ability (p=.003), dynamic balance ability (p=.002), and sleep satisfaction (p=.017). There was no significant difference in the quality of life between the two groups. Conclusion : Barefoot walking on a sandy beach is significantly effective in improving pain, disability due to LBP, balance ability, and sleep satisfaction in the elderly with LBP. Further studies with larger sample sizes and longer intervention periods must to be conducted to generalize using barefoot walking in LBP management.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2011.06a
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• pp.1387-1388
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• 2011

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.67-82
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• 2004

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the function and the safety of an additional weight shoe developed for the improvement of aerobic capacity, and to improve some problems found by subject's test for an additional weight shoe. The subjects employed for this study were 10 college students. 4 video cameras, AMTI force platform and Pedar insole pressure distribution measurement device were used to analyze foot motions. The results of the study were as follows: 1 The initial achilles tendon angle and initial rearfoot pronation angle of an additional weight shoe during walking were 183.7 deg and 2.33 deg, respectively, and smaller than a barefoot condition. Maximum achilles tendon angle and the angular displacement of achilles tendon angle were 185.35 deg and 4.21 deg respectively, and smaller than barefoot condition. Thus rearfoot stability variables were within the permission value for safety. 2. Maximal anterior posterior ground reaction force of additional weight shoe was appeared to be 1.01-1.2 B.W., and was bigger than a barefoot condition. The time to MAPGRF of an additional weight shoe was longer than a barefoot condition. Maximal vertical ground reaction force of additional weight shoe was appeared to be 2.3-2.7 B.W., and was bigger than a barefoot condition in propulsive force region. But A barefoot condition was bigger in braking force region. The time to MVGRF of an additional weight shoe was longer than a barefoot condition. 3. Regional peak pressure was bigger in medial region than in lateral region in contrast to conventional running shoes. The instant of regional peak pressure was M1-M2-M7-M4-M6-M5 -M3, and differed form conventional running shoes. Regional Impulse was shown to be abnormal patterns. There were no evidences that an additional weight shoe would have function and safety problems through the analysis of rearfoot control and ground reaction force during walking. However, There appeared to have small problem in pressure distribution. It was considered that it would be possible to redesign the inner geometry. This study could not find out safety on human body and exercise effects because of short term research period. Therefore long term study on subject's test would be necessary in the future study.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.51-59
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• 2007

These studies show that I applied to functional insole (a specific A company) for minimizing shocks and sprain people's ankle arising from running. How to an effect on human body which studied a kinematics and kinetics from 10 college students during experiments. This study imposes several conditions by barefoot, normal running shoes and put functional insole shoes ran under average $2.0{\pm}0.24\;m$/sec by motion analysis and ground reaction force that used to specific A company. First of all, motion analysis was caused by achilles tendon angle, angle of the lower leg, angle of the knee, initial sole angle and barefoot angle. The result of comparative analysis can be summarized as below. Motion analysis showed that statically approximates other results from achilles tendon angle (p<.01), initial ankle angle(p<.05), initial sole angle(p<.001) and barefoot angle(p<.001). Ground reaction force also showed that statically approximates other results from impact peak timing (p<.001), Maximum loading rate(p<.001), Maximum loading rate timing (p<.001) and impulse of first 20 percent (p<.001). Above experiment values known that there was statically difference between Motion analysis and Ground reaction force under absorbing of the functional insole shoes which was not have an effect on our body for kinetics and kinematics.