Infant and Children’s Feet, Gait and Footwear Requirements
Encompassing several different research projects, the overarching aims are to gain an understanding around parental views of children’s health and footwear, investigate and support industry and clinical professionals in gaining understanding of children’s feet and gait and describing how feet change in shape, structure and function throughout infancy and childhood.
This encompasses the Great Foundations initiative (funded w. The University of Brighton, 2016-2023), a Knowledge Transfer Partnership with Clarks Kids (funded with Innovate UK, 2018-2022). Individual projects undertook focus groups, interviews and surveys with parents/carers, health professionals and industry to synthesise current opinion, behaviour and practice in the area. A state-of-the-art baby motion analysis lab allowed us to collect skin biophysical properties and pressure and motions analysis data on the growing foot at set milestones during infant and childhood development. Furthermore, 3D scanning technology has been implemented to measures changes in foot shape between the ages of 3 and 12 years, including rates of growth with longitudinal work.
The impact of this research is wide with relevance to patient centred care, health professional standards and training, undergraduate education and the footwear industry. Outputs so far have included industry facing training, parent foot health workshops and an article written for children. A book about foot health for aimed for readers of school age is planned.
Funders
Dr William M Scholl Unit of Podiatric Development, part of Central and North West London NHS Trust
Clarks Kids
Innovate UK (Knowledge Transfer Partnership).
Team
Dr Ana Martinez Santos