ArticleScientific reports2018
Foot strength and stiffness are related to footwear use in a comparison of minimally- vs. conventionally-shod populations.
Article in Scientific reports, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 31 papers.
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The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
31 citing papers in PubMed, 100 citations in OpenAlex.
- Effects of Long-Term Minimal Footwear Use on Fall-Risk and Fall Incidence in Older Adults.Gerontology · 2026Trial
- Local and non-local effects (on the posterior chain) of four weeks of foot exercises: a randomized controlled trial.Scientific reports · 2024Trial
- The influence of foot muscles exercises and minimalist shoes on lactate threshold velocity in long-distance amateur runners: a randomized controlled trial.Scientific reports · 2024Trial
- A four-week minimalist shoe walking intervention influences foot posture and balance in young adults-a randomized controlled trial.PloS one · 2024Trial
- Deformable foot orthoses shift the functional roles of foot and ankle joints during walking gait.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- Effects of Barefoot and Minimalist Footwear Strength-Oriented Training on Foot Structure and Function in Athletic Populations: A Systematic Review.Journal of clinical medicine · 2025Review
- Guidelines for Recommended Footwear for Healthy Children and Adolescents: A Rapid Scoping Review to Characterise the Nature and Extent of Footwear Research and Clinical Policy Guidelines.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Review
- Observational
- Enhanced Foot Proprioception Through 3-Minute Walking Bouts with Ultra-Minimalist Shoes on Surfaces That Mimic Highly Rugged Natural Terrains.Biomimetics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Article
- Contemporary small-scale subsistence populations offer unique insights into human musculoskeletal health and aging.Science advances · 2024Review
- A Bio-Inspired Arched Foot with Individual Toe Joints and Plantar Fascia.Biomimetics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Article
- Applying an evolutionary mismatch framework to understand disease susceptibility.PLoS biology · 2023Article
- Correlations of Sesamoid Bone Subluxation with the Radiologic Measures of Hallux Valgus and Its Clinical Implications.Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2023Review
- A Novel Intrinsic Foot Muscle Strength Dynamometer Demonstrates Moderate-To-Excellent Reliability and Validity.International journal of sports physical therapy · 2023Article
- Barefoot Running on Grass as a Potential Treatment for Plantar Fasciitis: A Prospective Case Series.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Article
- Measurement of the Developing Foot in Shod and Barefoot Paediatric Populations: A Narrative Review.Children (Basel, Switzerland) · 2022Review
- Foot arch height, toe flexor strength, and dynamic balance ability in collegiate female dancers and non-dancers.Journal of physical therapy science · 2022Article
- The Influence of the Shoe over the Medial Foot Arch and the Lower Limbs Kinematics in Toddlers.Revista brasileira de ortopedia · 2022Article
- Effects of a 12-week gait retraining program combined with foot core exercise on morphology, muscle strength, and kinematics of the arch: A randomized controlled trial.Frontiers in bioengineering and biotechnology · 2022Article
- Influence of Shod and Barefoot Running on theFrontiers in bioengineering and biotechnology · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
3 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
The longitudinal arch (LA) helps stiffen the foot during walking, but many people in developed countries suffer from flat foot, a condition characterized by reduced LA stiffness that can impair gait. Studies have found this condition is rare in people who are habitually barefoot or wear minimal shoes compared to people who wear conventional modern shoes, but the basis for this difference remains unknown. Here we test the hypothesis that the use of shoes with features that restrict foot motion (e.g. arch supports, toe boxes) is associated with weaker foot muscles and reduced foot stiffness. We collected data from minimally-shod men from northwestern Mexico and men from urban/suburban areas in the United States who wear 'conventional' shoes. We measured dynamic LA stiffness during walking using kinematic and kinetic data, and the cross-sectional areas of three intrinsic foot muscles using ultrasound. Compared to conventionally-shod individuals, minimally-shod individuals had higher and stiffer LAs, and larger abductor hallucis and abductor digiti minimi muscles. Additionally, abductor hallucis size was positively associated with LA stiffness during walking. Our results suggest that use of conventional modern shoes is associated with weaker intrinsic foot muscles that may predispose individuals to reduced foot stiffness and potentially flat foot.
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.