• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.106-113
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• 2010

The aim of this study was to evaluate effects of the balance ability on the heel height (flat, low heel[3cm], and high heel[7cm]) and high heeled habituation (group A is used to a low heeled shoes (<7cm) and group B is used to a high heeled shoes (${\geq}7cm$). Thirty-five subjects participated in this study. In this study, the static balance with opened eyes and closed eyes and dynamic balance were measured. Also functional reach test was tested. The results found that the static balance ability was the best in a 7cm heeled shoes with open eyes and closed eyes, but there was not significant difference between group A and Group B. Dynamic balance ability with walking velocity and cadence were significant difference between Group A and B. In the walking velocity, a flat was the fastest, followed by 7cm heel and 3cm heel with Group A while 3cm and 7cm, then a flat with Group B. Also Cadence pattern was similar. Functional balance ability was the highest with a flat, but it was not difference significantly between Group A and B. Therefore, this study demonstrated that the habituation to the high heel altered gait velocity and cadence of dynamic balance ability.