The effects of shoe structural features on agility and stability tasks during walking

Background: Footwear can accommodate foot pathologies, alleviate symptoms of musculoskeletal injury, provide environmental protection and, for orthopedic or aging consumers, enhance agility or stability to improve daily locomotion. Independent of the specific characteristics underlying footwear selection, shoes are often called upon to support the performance of many different types of activities. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to which shoe design features intended for stability versus agility affect walking tasks that would disproportionately depend on those features. Methods: Fourteen adults completed two walking tasks intended to disproportionately require greater agility or greater stability. Participants completed walking tasks while wearing each of two footwear designs: a supportive hiking boot and a flexible sneaker. Results: We found no significant performance differences between footwear designs in either the agility task metrics or stability task metrics. Conversely, participant perceptions reflected differences in footwear design features. Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that shoe design features intended for stability versus agility minimally bias walking performance towards either respective benefit. Our results may improve consumer confidence in footwear selection, often thereafter called upon to meet the needs of a variety of activities of daily living.