Biomechanical difference between m/w when walking in heels

[Laurieheels]

In fact, I've had female co-workers at the office tell me they'd break their necks in the heels they've seen me wear, and they were dead serious about that too!

I get this all of the time. Fellow co workers who tell me they would break necks, ankles, and other body parts. They cannot understand how I do what I do. I tell them that it is practice and that I can give them advice, but not many are willing to take me up on it.

My friend Jen can wear some thicker heels with good height, and she makes jokes about me teaching her how to wear stilettos. I think I'll have to get her into it, at least for those special moments with her fiance.

But you are right, Jeff, it is all about practice, and anyone can do this if they try.

[GML-Mausi]

Read this: http://www.umich.edu/~mvs330/f98/stilettos/main.html

In my eyes it's only a theory.

[Jinx]

I red it quickly, and first question came to my mind "they compared just one man and one woman?". What analysis can be made over comparing 2 individuals? Was the man used to walk in high heels? Was the woman used to walk in high heels? IMO, to make a conclusion like article mentioned, one should compare hundreds, even thousand males/females walking in highheels before this kind of 'researche' should be made public... or atleast to be taken seriously anyway

[Rockpup]

I'm at work and havnt had time to read that whole link, but just the general idea gives me an idea. Since most women have years of experience, even if it's just experience spread out over some years, in wearing and walking in high heels. It would be interesting to have the two subjects in the motion capture as they did, then have them wear that height heel durring their regular activities such as walking to class, hanging out with friends, etc for at least a month. This should give the male enough time to aclimate to the new style footwear and adjust his walking habits. The real comparison would be how much the males stride is changed vs the females. I guess the optimum comparison would be to find a female that either has no heel experience, or very little. oh well, will review the study and edit this post or post again later.

[asdf174]

I think it is interesting that someone try to do a study on this.

[GML-Mausi]

I'm at work and havnt had time to read that whole link, but just the general idea gives me an idea. Since most women have years of experience, even if it's just experience spread out over some years, in wearing and walking in high heels. It would be interesting to have the two subjects in the motion capture as they did, then have them wear that height heel durring their regular activities such as walking to class, hanging out with friends, etc for at least a month. This should give the male enough time to aclimate to the new style footwear and adjust his walking habits.

The real comparison would be how much the males stride is changed vs the females.

I guess the optimum comparison would be to find a female that either has no heel experience, or very little.

oh well, will review the study and edit this post or post again later.

That's what I thought, too. It's the experience and not (or far lesser) a biomechanical reason why women walk more straight in heels. :-)

[HeelD]

They pretty much say that they need a bigger sample size to come to any proper conclusion:

DISCUSSION

The purpose of this experiment was to study the gait of a male versus a female wearing high heeled stiletto shoes to determine if there was a biomechanical difference between the genders that makes high heeled shoes more desirable footwear for women. Our analysis demonstrated that the male had very different range of motion and trunk inclination than the female. This difference could be attributed to practice rather than gender differences. The male had a smaller stride length (reflected in the graphs of the hip angle and shoulder position) and leaned forward throughout the movement. This was likely due to the male subject not being comfortable wearing the stilettos. Since the male was not familiar with walking in stilettos, smaller steps and leaning forward helped him keep better balance. The graphs of center of mass and trunk angle reflected that the male leaned more forward during the movement. It was also apparent that the center of mass of the male was located higher than for the female. This difference could result in less balance or a different gait for the male.

Both practice and gender differences account for the ability to walk in high heeled shoes. We were unable to disprove Linder's theory that fashion trends were the only cause of men ceasing to wear high heeled shoes in the 18th century. It could not be proven that men do not wear high heeled shoes because of gender differences causing less balance. However, we suspect that the greater weight and higher center of mass of men are important factors, due to our results.

This study was limited in the number of subjects that participated. To confirm our results a large sample size should be analyzed. Another limitation was that our subjects were not equally experienced in wearing high heels. A better study would have involved both a female and a male who have never walked in high heeled shoes. Finally, our data could have been more accurate if better equipment were available to videotape and digitize the subjects.

[5150PLB1]

Just because some researcher can plaster his or her walls with advanced degrees, hardly means that he or she is smart or has common sense. This one clearly did not do the obvious sceintific thing to do- do the experiment on multiple subjects to prove the theory. Then have another sceintist do the same experiment and compare the results.

[Danielinheels]

Should have contacted some of us to do it. For just three pairs of heels and the promise of my own safety, I'd have gladly participated

[Rockpup]

I think saying you were part of a scientific study would be a great excuse for a college student to wear heels around school.. Give you a chance to work on your personal 'style' while you had the excuse that you have to wear them, then transition into wearing them cause you kinda like em afterwards

[dr1819]

I red it quickly, and first question came to my mind "they compared just one man and one woman?". What analysis can be made over comparing 2 individuals? Was the man used to walk in high heels? Was the woman used to walk in high heels?

IMO, to make a conclusion like article mentioned, one should compare hundreds, even thousand males/females walking in highheels before this kind of 'researche' should be made public... or atleast to be taken seriously anyway

Agreed, as there's no way one of each amounts to any sort of "study."

You wouldn't need thousands, but you would need men who're as comfortable walking in heels as were the women.

From an analytic perspective, there is a difference, but it's because proportionally, most women's hips are wider compared to their height, hence the hip sway of women and the relative lack of it in men.

One of the things that I've noticed while walking in heels is that I tend to swivel my hips, probably because it helps me lengthen my gait by overcoming some of the restricted mobility of my ankle.

[vector]

Hmmmm! Why work on a cure for hunger or aids, when you can study men and women walking in heels!

[denom]

Agreed, as there's no way one of each amounts to any sort of "study."

A study of 2 samples is still a study of 2 samples. Granted, if you are trying to reduce the standard deviation of a measurement, to +/- 1% you need something like 600 samples. Nevertheless, a pilot study like that is a good place to start before scaling up and controlling for multiple variables.

[jmc]

Sounds to me like a couple of grad students had some time on their hands, a research budget to blow (possibly a fascination with heels) and a paper to write. Throw these ingredients into the mixer, add some time and voila!

(My cynical side making an appearance.)

[Danielinheels]

I think saying you were part of a scientific study would be a great excuse for a college student to wear heels around school.. Give you a chance to work on your personal 'style' while you had the excuse that you have to wear them, then transition into wearing them cause you kinda like em afterwards

Now if only I could find a school of podiatry somewhere in Illinois/Wisconsin/Indiana...

[Guy N. Heels]

A study of 2 samples is still a study of 2 samples. Granted, if you are trying to reduce the standard deviation of a measurement, to +/- 1% you need something like 600 samples. Nevertheless, a pilot study like that is a good place to start before scaling up and controlling for multiple variables.

Study of 2 samples? This would hardly qualify as a photo-shoot, let alone a study! At the risk of beating this to death, I don't see enough evidence to qualify this as a "research study" in any sense of the word. More like a notion of motion.

[Wolfgang]

I think the experiment would have been more accurate if they had both the man and woman unexperienced with walking in heels. Afterall, because women and men have different centres of gravity, they would have different gaits.

[dr1819]

Statistics is a strange science, but it's by no means guesswork. There are very clear mathmatical rules for determining the appropriate sample size based upon the type of data being sought and the variability of that data. Since I'm not quite sure what the "researchers" were after, here are some ballpark figures for a 95% confidence interval: Total subjects: 120, broken down into 4 equal categories of both and women who have and have not worn heels. A former girlfriend once told me I walk more gracefully in heels than most women and more gracefully than when I'm wearing any sort of flat shoe. Sometimes, of course, I catch myself stomping in heels, like most guys tend to walk in heels. When I do that, I simply hold my head high, pull my chest back a touch, my hips moving forward, arching the small of my back slightly and the grace returns. I'm not effeminate by any means, but a lot of how one appears in heels has to do with how they carry themselves, male or female.

[johnieheel]

END OF STUDY! Results are in. I can strut my stuff better or with the best of any woman or man in heels.

[Guy N. Heels]

Statistics is a strange science, but it's by no means guesswork. There are very clear mathmatical rules for determining the appropriate sample size based upon the type of data being sought and the variability of that data.

Since I'm not quite sure what the "researchers" were after, here are some ballpark figures for a 95% confidence interval:

Total subjects: 120, broken down into 4 equal categories of both and women who have and have not worn heels.

Researchers? What researchers? This is clearly a bunch of scammers who just wanted to grab the money and run (assuming there was some sort of grant). Two pictures qualifies as research about like I qualify as Superman! Robbers and crooks have been around for a long time, only now they've added "Research" to their long list of monikers. But fraud is still fraud, no matter what name it goes under!

[dr1819]

Researchers? What researchers? Two pictures qualifies as research about like I qualify as Superman!

Well, as long as we can jump off a tall building, I'm sure we would qualify as half-Superman!

END OF STUDY! Results are in. I can strut my stuff better or with the best of any woman or man in heels.

Ummm, I'd have to disagree with you there. You do wobble a bit side to side over several strides.

In May, while visiting the gym that my girlfriend at the time visited, she said, "I'll go out with you tonight with you wearing whatever heels you want, provided you can walk the balance beam in them without stepping off, flapping your arms, or otherwise showing you're off balance.

I did, and we had a wonderful evening.

[johnieheel]

The wobble is from the girl holding the camera and the shoping bag throws me off a little too. LOL. K! I'll work on the wobble.

[johnieheel]

Ummm, I'd have to disagree with you there. You do wobble a bit side to side over several strides.

In May, while visiting the gym that my girlfriend at the time visited, she said, "I'll go out with you tonight with you wearing whatever heels you want, provided you can walk the balance beam in them without stepping off, flapping your arms, or otherwise showing you're off balance.

I did, and we had a wonderful evening.

My GF and I studied my vid and seen no wobble.Now how about a poll? Does he wobble or not? Oh and one more thing, I don't believe I have seen a vid of dr1819 walking through a public square, stepping up on the curb,turnning around or what ever, or did I miss it?

[Guy N. Heels]

My GF and I studied my vid and seen no wobble.Now how about a poll? Does he wobble or not? Oh and one more thing, I don't believe I have seen a vid of dr1819 walking through a public square, stepping up on the curb,turnning around or what ever, or did I miss it?

We haven't seen him jumping off tall buildings either!

[RPMindy]

i've got so much bio under my belt.. i hate to look into it to comment here.. great long thread. men and women... equally conditioned will do equally well in heels. there are a few anatomical differences that can't be argued or adjusted for, but they dont' bear impact on the ability to wear heels. men and women have a difference in their pelvis that affects the angle to the ground their feet makes.. which can impact the planting of a heeled foot to the ground. but that effect only affects how the stride looks. Men tend to walk more from their shoulders (higher center of gravity) and women more from the hip(lower center of gravity). that difference in walking style can easily be adjusted with a little training to eliminate that difference. weight only plays a factor in endurance in the high heels. the more you weight, the more pressure on the various joints and surfaces of your foot in the heels. that can be easily be accounted for in study.. get a man and a woman of the same weight. bottom line.. as funny or weird as the study was... men and women with equal exposure and experience in heels will perform about the same. it's the social conditioning that makes the biggest difference!!! no.. i don't wear heels.. but i've won a bet and outperformed a seasoned heeler. i've worn heels twice to please my lady. i still don't call myself a heeler or one who knows much about walking in heels.. but i understand how my body works and apply that knowledge to walk reasonably in heels (up to 5 inch.. haven't tried taller) my point of view.. RPM

[Guy N. Heels]

i've got so much bio under my belt.. i hate to look into it to comment here.. great long thread.

men and women... equally conditioned will do equally well in heels. there are a few anatomical differences that can't be argued or adjusted for, but they dont' bear impact on the ability to wear heels.

men and women have a difference in their pelvis that affects the angle to the ground their feet makes.. which can impact the planting of a heeled foot to the ground. but that effect only affects how the stride looks.

Men tend to walk more from their shoulders (higher center of gravity) and women more from the hip(lower center of gravity). that difference in walking style can easily be adjusted with a little training to eliminate that difference.

weight only plays a factor in endurance in the high heels. the more you weight, the more pressure on the various joints and surfaces of your foot in the heels. that can be easily be accounted for in study.. get a man and a woman of the same weight.

bottom line.. as funny or weird as the study was... men and women with equal exposure and experience in heels will perform about the same. it's the social conditioning that makes the biggest difference!!!

no.. i don't wear heels.. but i've won a bet and outperformed a seasoned heeler. i've worn heels twice to please my lady. i still don't call myself a heeler or one who knows much about walking in heels.. but i understand how my body works and apply that knowledge to walk reasonably in heels (up to 5 inch.. haven't tried taller)

my point of view..

RPM

You make some interesting points. Speaking of the manner of walking, I saw an interview with Jack Lemmon one time and he was talking about some of the difficulties they had in shooting Some Like It Hot. One thing I distinctly recall him saying is that men swing their legs from the hip while women (I presume he meant Western women) swing their legs from the knee. At first that struck me as odd. But Lemmon went on to say that they could have learned how to do that, but that both he and Tony Curtis deliberately didn't in order to make it obvious that they were guys in drag. Still, I found his remarks interesting.

[RPMindy]

the distinction of Western women here is fascinating.. never really thought too much about how other cultures have their gait and how it differs between men and women.. fascinating. RPM

[Guy N. Heels]

the distinction of Western women here is fascinating.. never really thought too much about how other cultures have their gait and how it differs between men and women.. fascinating.

RPM

Check out any authentic film or video of how Japanese women walk in traditional costume. Believe me, even in Western dress and heels they have a distinctive gait that needs to be seen.

[RPMindy]

i'll check that out soon! now you've piqued my interest