FUNKY footwear is doing feet a favour. Strutting around in this season鈥檚 wide shoes and trainers is healthier than tottering on narrow stilettos, according to researchers at the University of Dundee鈥檚 Department of Orthopaedics.
But unfortunately fashions don鈥檛 stand still, and this year鈥檚 styles might fall out of favour, so David Rowley and his colleagues are developing an insole which is designed to protect feet from problems later in life.
The insole will redistribute the wearer鈥檚 weight to ease the pressure on delicate joints. This should reduce the chance of developing foot deformities and allow people to wear normal shoes for longer, before they run into problems.
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鈥淲e鈥檙e looking at people with rheumatoid arthritis first of all, but these insoles have a wider appeal,鈥� says Rowley.
The Dundee prototype insole, which is funded by Action Research, contains transducers to monitor pressure under the foot and assess any gait changes caused by the insole. Changes in muscle activity can also be recorded.