Walking patterns of healthy subjects wearing rocker shoes.

We compared walking in rocker shoes with walking in athletic shoes at free and fast velocities in 15 healthy women who were between the ages of 21 and 30 years. Footswitches, electrogoniometers, surface electromyograms, and a force plate were used for data collection. No significant differences were found in velocity, cadence, gait-cycle duration, single-limb support, or swing-stance ratios in free and fast walking. Double-limb support was decreased by 9% in the rocker shoes in free walking. The ankle range of motion showed accommodation of the foot to the 8.5 degrees of plantar flexion built into the rocker shoes. Electromyographic responses appeared to be similar regardless of shoes or cadence.