Shroyer, Justin Frederick. Influence of Various Thong Style Flip-flops on Gait Kinematics and Lower Leg Electromyography

Justin Frederick, Auburn University, Dissertation, December 18, 2009. — 181 p.
Flip-flops are a common footwear choice for the masses. This influx of flip-flop usage is in despite of the plethora of anecdotal evidence and consensus among the health field that flip-flops are not conducive to the health of individuals’ lower extremities. The influence of footwear research on gait measures can be seen in the ever changing design of running shoes and there is abundant research of the effects of orthotics on gait, but still a lack of research on the effects of flip-flops on gait exists. The purposes of this investigation were; (1) to examine the effects that different components of the thong style flip-flop have on gait kinematics in individuals classified with normal arched (NA) feet; (2) to investigate the effects that a thong style flip-flop arch support has on gait kinematics of individuals classified with either low (LA), normal (NA), or high arched (HA) feet; and (3) to determine if there is an increase in muscular activity of the tibialis anterior (TA) at the ankle during the swing phase of gait when wearing thong style flip-flops in individuals classified with NA.