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The Effect of Heel Height on Gait and Posture

A Review of the Literature

Emma E. Cowley Faculty of Health, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, United Kingdom.

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Thierry L. Chevalier Faculty of Health, Staffordshire University, Stoke on Trent, United Kingdom.

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Nachiappan Chockalingam Faculty of Health, Staffordshire University, Stoke on Trent, United Kingdom.

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This article explores relevant full-text literature to reveal the effects of heel height on gait and posture and the kinetics and kinematics of the foot, ankle, knee, hip, and spine. Furthermore, special attention will be given to the implications of increased heel height for clinicians treating locomotor disorders and provide information to aid clinical decision making. Full-text articles accessed from databases including AMED, ASSIA, Blackwell Synergy, BNI, Voyager, CINAHL, ScienceDirect, and Taylor Francis inform the review. (J Am Podiatr Med Assoc 99(6): 512–518, 2009)

Corresponding author: Emma E. Cowley, MSc, Faculty of Health, University of Plymouth, Derriford Rd, Plymouth, Devon, PL6 8BH United Kingdom. (E-mail: emma.cowley@plymouth.ac.uk)
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