Walk This Way: Crocs and the Impact of Heel Strap Utilization on Overground Walking Performance and Lower Limb Joint Kinematics

Gait kinematics undergo significant alterations stemming from shoe type that can enhance performance or result in musculoskeletal injuries that impact daily living. Crocs surge to mainstream consumers, along with their presence throughout other industries, begs the question of the impact of this shoe on walking performance and kinematics. This study examined the impact of Crocs with and without heel strap on walking performance and lower body kinematics. Thirty-one participants completed 3 walking trials at self-selected pace for each condition: control (CON): socked; sports mode: Crocs with heel strap; and comfort mode: Crocs without heel strap. Inertial measurement units were used to calculate sagittal kinematics of the hip, knee, and ankle. Sports mode significantly improved walking velocity and stride length compared with comfort mode and control conditions while walking. Hip and knee angles were different only when comparing shod conditions to the control condition. Ankle dorsiflexion during stance, range of motion during the swing phase, and plantarflexion during toe-off differed significantly between the sports mode and comfort mode conditions and provide insight to the contributions of heel straps to shoe fit, walking performance, and joint mechanics. The ankle kinematics suggest that when worn without a heel strap, Crocs negatively impact ankle mechanics and impact lower limb kinematics.