Developing an Intelligent Indicator to Evaluate High-Heeled Gait Variations Using Temporal-Distance Parameters

Abstract

High heels badly affect women’s musculoskeletal system, previous studies confirmed that wearing high heels alters gait and changes its parameters. This study aims to design an intelligent fuzzy logic indicator to detect gait deviations resulting from using high heel shoes. Fourteen participants went through experiments in the Biomechanics Lab at Damascus University.  Each participant made six experiments wearing five different heel height shoes, and one experiment with bare foot. Temporal-distance gait parameters were collected and processed, a fuzzy logic system was built to calculate a gait variation index. The fuzzy input sets were chosen depending on the mean and standard deviation of temporal and distance gait parameters for normal trials (bare foot). A standard fuzzy rule base was chosen and modulated to correspond with the literature studies, and the output of the system was used as gait variation index, which showed the effects of wearing high heels on the temporal and distance parameters. It also showed that heel height can be divided into 3 categories depending on its effect on the gait parameters. A high correlation between the suggested index and the gait profile score (GPS) was found, this result confirms the validity of the suggested index and its capability to be used in gait evaluation.