The three-dimensional shapes of underground coal miners’ feet do not match the internal dimensions of their work boots

Abstract

. (2018). The three-dimensional shapes of underground coal miners' feet do not match the internal dimensions of their work boots. Ergonomics: an international journal of research and practice in human factors and ergonomics, 61 (4), 588-602.The three-dimensional shapes of underground coal miners' feet do not match the internal dimensions of their work boots AbstractMining work boots provide an interface between the foot and the ground, protecting and supporting miners' feet during lengthy coal mining shifts. Although underground coal miners report the fit of their work boots as reasonable to good, they frequently rate their boots as uncomfortable, suggesting that there is a mismatch between the shape of their feet and their boots. This study aimed to identify whether dimensions derived from the three-dimensional scans of 208 underground coal miners' feet (age 38.3 ± 9.8 years) differed from the internal dimensions of their work boots. The results revealed underground coal miners wore boots that were substantially longer than their feet, possibly because boots available in their correct length were too narrow. It is recommended boot manufacturers reassess the algorithms used to create boot lasts, focusing on adjusting boot circumference at the instep and heel relative to increases in foot length. Practitioner Summary: Fit and comfort ratings suggest a mismatch between the shape of underground coal miners' feet and their boots exists. This study examined whether three-dimensional scans of 208 miners' feet differed from their boot internal dimensions. Miners wore boots substantially longer than their feet, possibly due to inadequate width. The three-dimensional shapes of underground coal miners' feet do not match the internal dimensions of their work boots Abstract Mining work boots provide an interface between the foot and the ground, protecting and

Incorrectly fitted footwear, foot pain and foot disorders: a systematic search and narrative review of the literature

“…Incorrect sized footwear defined as foot length at least 2 mm difference between foot length and reported footwear size dimensions. • 110 women (48.5%) and 119 men (69.2%) wore incorrect size footwear (> 2 mm difference) based on foot and shoe length • 29 women (12.8%) and 57 men (31.1%) were wearing footwear at least 1 cm longer than their feet • 1 (0.6%) man was wearing shoes shorter than his feet • There was a significant association between men and wearing incorrectly sized footwear • 19 women or 55.9% of all women with diabetes and 31 or 81.6% of all men with diabetes were wearing incorrectly sized footwear • Incorrectly sized footwear was associated with ankle pain in women Dobson et al [ 24 ] 270 participants, all men, mean age 38.3 ± 9.8 yrs., height 178.9 ± 5.7 cm, weight 93.2 ± 12.5 kg. All participants were underground coal miners.…”

“…Specific ethnic groups were examined in three studies including participants of Japanese [ 21 ], Thai [ 19 ] or Singaporean [ 26 ] ethnicity. Finally, four studies recruited specific populations [ 24 , 25 , 30 , 31 ], including war veterans [ 25 ], underground coal miners [ 24 ], rock climbers [ 30 ] and three different population groups from New York City (a foot specialist private practice, an academic diabetic foot and ankle clinic, and a charity centre serving homeless people) [ 31 ].…”

“…One such is occupation is mining, which requires workers to stand for long periods of time on sometimes uneven, wet or unstable surfaces [ 53 ]. It was identified in a study of 208 mining workers that the boots worn by miners (both lace-up boots and gum boots) were significantly narrower than the foot but also significantly longer than the recommended 10–20 mm clearance [ 24 ]. These findings could indicate an attempt by miners to select shoes of appropriate width by wearing excessively long shoes.…”

Role of Occupational Footwear and Prolonged Walking on Lower Extremity Muscle Activation during Maximal Exertions and Postural Stability Tasks

“…In addition to the current research team's findings on the biomechanical impact of work boots, another team of researchers from the University of Wollongong, Australia have addressed the biomechanical and psychological impact of mining work boots [18][19][20][21][22][23]. Additionally, similar to the current study, previous research has used both postural sway and EMG measures to compare footwear types in standing tasks (barefoot, stable control shoes, and unstable shoes) [24].…”

Identifying Lower Limb Problems And The Types of Safety Footwear Worn In The Australian Wine Industry: A Cross-Sectional Survey.

“…Dobson et al [11] report that 62.3% of miners believed that their foot and ankle pain was related to their work boots. One explanation for this is that miners may be wearing boots that are longer than their feet, possibly because boots in their correct length are too narrow [27]. Dobson et al [28] concluded that traditional tting methods based on foot length were insu cient when tting miners.…”