Classification and Comparison of Foot Shape Between Non-Competitive Marathon Runners and General Population
In this study,data on foot types were collected from 205 non-competitive female marathon runners and 195 ordi-nary women.The foot types of both groups were classified and compared,with 23 dimensions including length,width,height,girth,and angle obtained using a 3D scanner.Principal component analysis was employed for dimensionality reduc-tion,followed by K-means clustering to classify the general population's foot types into short pointed foot,long wide foot,and short foot.Non-competitive marathon runners'foot types were categorized into broad and thick foot,short and narrow foot,and narrow flatfoot.This approach aimed to uncover the patterns of non-competitive marathon runners'feet.Indepen-dent sample T-test analysis revealed significant differences in toe and plantar width as well as girth length between the two groups.These indexes were found to be greater in non-competitive marathon runners than in the general population.The findings of this study contribute to expanding the database on non-competitive female marathon runners'foot types,and provide certain data reference for the design and development of shoe last of non-competitive marathon runners.
foot type classificationnon-competitive marathon runnersfoot shape differencefoot patternthree-dimensional foot scan