Measurements of the Foot in Korean Adolescents

Abstract

To investigate the pedal morphological characteristics of Koreans. the feet of 246 male and 100 female Korean adolescents were measured, the data analyzed according to sex, side, stature and body weight, and compared with previously collected data for Koreans and non-Koreans. The results were as follows. 1) Average foot length was 247.5 mm (male) and 228.8 mm (female); foot breadth 98.4 mm (male) and 90.3 mm (female); and foot circumference 247.1 mm (male) and 227.7 mm (female). Instep length averaged 177.1 mm (male) and 162.8 mm (female), while heel breadth was 59.5 mm (male) and 54.4 mm (female). Sphyrion height was 86.3 mm (male) and 77.0 mm (female); fibular sphyrion height 70.0 mm (male) and 63.0 mm (female); and sphyrion circumference 256.8 mm (male) and 238.3 mm (female). Foot breadth index was 39.8 (male) and 39.5 (female); and foot length index 14.4 (male) and 14.3 (female). 2) The mesopod types of foot were found in 61.2% (male) and 62.0% (female) of cases; the brachypod in 24.8% (male) and 19.0% (female) of cases; and the dolichopod in 14.0% (male) and 19.0% (female) of cases. 3) Foot breadth of male and foot length of female were greater in the right side than in the left. 4) Foot length and instep length correlated more with stature than with body weight, while foot breadth (in females only), foot circumference, and sphyrion circumference correlated more with body weight than with stature. The regression equations, stature(cm)=foot length(cm)X3-06+96.1 in male, and stature(cm)=foot length(cm)x3.24+86.0 in female, were derived from the data. 5) Our data show no remarked change in Koreans´ foot size over the past 40 years. Foot length of the Korean was smaller than that of the American (the data used for comparison dose not break down "American" by racial or ethnic category), while foot breadth and foot circumference of the Korean were similar with those of the American.