A Comparative Analysis of Shoes Designed for Subjects with Obesity Using a Single Inertial Sensor: Preliminary Results

Overview

Journal Sensors (Basel)

Publisher MDPI

Specialty Biotechnology

Date 2022 Feb 15

PMID 35161528

Authors

Veronica Cimolin

Michele Gobbi

Camillo Buratto

Samuele Ferraro

Andrea Fumagalli

Manuela Galli

Paolo Capodaglio

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Walking remains a highly recommended form of exercise for the management of obesity. Thus, comfortable and adequate shoes represent, together with the prescription of a safe adapted physical activity, an important means to achieve the recommended physical activity target volume. However, the literature on shoes specific for obese individuals is inadequate. The aim of the present study was to compare the performance of shoes specifically designed for subjects with obesity with everyday sneakers during instrumented 6-min walking test and outdoor 30-min ambulation in a group of subjects with obesity using a single wearable device. Twenty-three obese individuals (mean age 58.96 years) were recruited and classified into two groups: deconditioned (n = 13) and non-deconditioned patients (n = 10). Each participant was evaluated with his/her daily sneakers and the day after with shoes specifically designed for people with obesity by means of a questionnaire related to the comfort related to each model of shoes and instrumentally during the i6MWT and an outdoor walking test. The results showed that the specifically designed shoes displayed the higher score as for comfort, in particular in the deconditioned group. During the i6MWT, the distance walked, and step length significantly increased in the deconditioned group when specifically designed shoes were worn; no significant changes were observed in the non-deconditioned individuals. The deconditioned group displayed longer step length during the outdoor 30-min ambulation test. In the non-deconditioned group, the use of specific shoes correlated to better performance in terms of gait speed and cadence. These data, although preliminary, seem to support the hypothesis that shoes specifically conceived and designed for counteracting some of the known functional limitations in subjects with obesity allow for a smoother, more stable and possibly less fatiguing gait schema over time.

Citing Articles

Motor and Respiratory Tele-Rehabilitation in Patients with Long COVID-19 after Hospital Discharge: An Interventional Study.

Cerfoglio S, Verme F, Capodaglio P, Rossi P, Cvetkova V, Boldini G Life (Basel). 2024; 14(7).

PMID: 39063618 PMC: 11277623. DOI: 10.3390/life14070864.

Assessment of an IMU-Based Experimental Set-Up for Upper Limb Motion in Obese Subjects.

Cerfoglio S, Lopomo N, Capodaglio P, Scalona E, Monfrini R, Verme F Sensors (Basel). 2023; 23(22).

PMID: 38005650 PMC: 10674635. DOI: 10.3390/s23229264.

Dual-Task Interference Effects on Lower-Extremity Muscle Activities during Gait Initiation and Steady-State Gait among Healthy Young Individuals, Measured Using Wireless Electromyography Sensors.

Waldon K, Stout A, Manning K, Gray L, Wilson D, Kang G Sensors (Basel). 2023; 23(21).

PMID: 37960541 PMC: 10647760. DOI: 10.3390/s23218842.

Tele-Rehabilitation Interventions for Motor Symptoms in COVID-19 Patients: A Narrative Review.

Cerfoglio S, Capodaglio P, Rossi P, Verme F, Boldini G, Cvetkova V Bioengineering (Basel). 2023; 10(6).

PMID: 37370581 PMC: 10295123. DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering10060650.

Technological Solutions for Human Movement Analysis in Obese Subjects: A Systematic Review.

Monfrini R, Rossetto G, Scalona E, Galli M, Cimolin V, Lopomo N Sensors (Basel). 2023; 23(6).

PMID: 36991886 PMC: 10059733. DOI: 10.3390/s23063175.

References

de Souza S, Faintuch J, Valezi A, Sant Anna A, Gama-Rodrigues J, de Batista Fonseca I . Gait cinematic analysis in morbidly obese patients. Obes Surg. 2005; 15(9):1238-42. DOI: 10.1381/096089205774512627. View

Orpana H, Tremblay M, Fines P . Trends in weight change among Canadian adults. Health Rep. 2007; 18(2):9-16. View

Storm F, Cesareo A, Reni G, Biffi E . Wearable Inertial Sensors to Assess Gait during the 6-Minute Walk Test: A Systematic Review. Sensors (Basel). 2020; 20(9). PMC: 7249076. DOI: 10.3390/s20092660. View

Muro-de-la-Herran A, Garcia-Zapirain B, Mendez-Zorrilla A . Gait analysis methods: an overview of wearable and non-wearable systems, highlighting clinical applications. Sensors (Basel). 2014; 14(2):3362-94. PMC: 3958266. DOI: 10.3390/s140203362. View

Pau M, Caggiari S, Mura A, Corona F, Leban B, Coghe G . Clinical assessment of gait in individuals with multiple sclerosis using wearable inertial sensors: Comparison with patient-based measure. Mult Scler Relat Disord. 2016; 10:187-191. DOI: 10.1016/j.msard.2016.10.007. View

Zago M, Sforza C, Pacifici I, Cimolin V, Camerota F, Celletti C . Gait evaluation using inertial measurement units in subjects with Parkinson's disease. J Electromyogr Kinesiol. 2018; 42:44-48. DOI: 10.1016/j.jelekin.2018.06.009. View

Bugane F, Benedetti M, Casadio G, Attala S, Biagi F, Manca M . Estimation of spatial-temporal gait parameters in level walking based on a single accelerometer: validation on normal subjects by standard gait analysis. Comput Methods Programs Biomed. 2012; 108(1):129-37. DOI: 10.1016/j.cmpb.2012.02.003. View

Schifino G, Cimolin V, Pau M, da Cunha M, Leban B, Porta M . Functional Electrical Stimulation for Foot Drop in Post-Stroke People: Quantitative Effects on Step-to-Step Symmetry of Gait Using a Wearable Inertial Sensor. Sensors (Basel). 2021; 21(3). PMC: 7866372. DOI: 10.3390/s21030921. View

Brandes M, Zijlstra W, Heikens S, Lummel R, Rosenbaum D . Accelerometry based assessment of gait parameters in children. Gait Posture. 2006; 24(4):482-6. DOI: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2005.12.006. View

10.

Runhaar J, Koes B, Clockaerts S, Bierma-Zeinstra S . A systematic review on changed biomechanics of lower extremities in obese individuals: a possible role in development of osteoarthritis. Obes Rev. 2011; 12(12):1071-82. DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-789X.2011.00916.x. View

11.

Cimolin V, Cau N, Sartorio A, Capodaglio P, Galli M, Tringali G . Symmetry of Gait in Underweight, Normal and Overweight Children and Adolescents. Sensors (Basel). 2019; 19(9). PMC: 6539288. DOI: 10.3390/s19092054. View

12.

Pau M, Mulas I, Putzu V, Asoni G, Viale D, Mameli I . Smoothness of Gait in Healthy and Cognitively Impaired Individuals: A Study on Italian Elderly Using Wearable Inertial Sensor. Sensors (Basel). 2020; 20(12). PMC: 7348719. DOI: 10.3390/s20123577. View

13.

Russell E, Miller R, Umberger B, Hamill J . Lateral wedges alter mediolateral load distributions at the knee joint in obese individuals. J Orthop Res. 2012; 31(5):665-71. DOI: 10.1002/jor.22248. View

14.

Cruz-Jentoft A, Bahat G, Bauer J, Boirie Y, Bruyere O, Cederholm T . Sarcopenia: revised European consensus on definition and diagnosis. Age Ageing. 2018; 48(1):16-31. PMC: 6322506. DOI: 10.1093/ageing/afy169. View

15.

Capodaglio P, Gobbi M, Donno L, Fumagalli A, Buratto C, Galli M . Effect of Obesity on Knee and Ankle Biomechanics during Walking. Sensors (Basel). 2021; 21(21). PMC: 8588043. DOI: 10.3390/s21217114. View

16.

. ATS statement: guidelines for the six-minute walk test. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2002; 166(1):111-7. DOI: 10.1164/ajrccm.166.1.at1102. View

17.

Lai P, Leung A, Li A, Zhang M . Three-dimensional gait analysis of obese adults. Clin Biomech (Bristol). 2008; 23 Suppl 1:S2-6. DOI: 10.1016/j.clinbiomech.2008.02.004. View

18.

Griffon P, Vie B, Weber J, Jammes Y . Effect of 4 Weeks of Foot Orthosis Intervention on Ambulatory Capacities and Posture in Normal-Weight and Obese Patients. J Am Podiatr Med Assoc. 2020; 110(1):Article2. DOI: 10.7547/16-161. View

19.

de Castro M, Abreu S, Pinto V, Santos R, Machado L, Vaz M . Influence of pressure-relief insoles developed for loaded gait (backpackers and obese people) on plantar pressure distribution and ground reaction forces. Appl Ergon. 2014; 45(4):1028-34. DOI: 10.1016/j.apergo.2014.01.005. View