EFFECT OF FOOTWEAR ON ANKLE PAIN AMONG YOUNG FEMALE STUDENTS

Abstract

Background: Piriformis syndrome can be defined when a muscle called the piriformis, which is small in size and positioned deep into the buttock, causes pain because of tightness, spasm or prolonged compression. In a general population study, 2.2 – 19.5% indicated a yearly occurrence of PS, whereas 12.2 – 27% indicated a lifetime occurrence Objective: The objective of this study is to determine the effect of footwear on ankle pain among young female students. Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Layyah, Punjab. Sample size was 138. Age group between 18-25 years and participants were selected based on the inclusion criteria. Sampling technique was non-probability convenient sampling technique. Written consent form was taken. Data collection tool was Numeric Pain Rating Scale. Results: The sample size was 138 young female students with the mean age of 21.81 ± 2.38 years. The majority of participants reported that they stood or walked 1-3 hours a day and most of them wore shoes on a daily basis. The average pain rate was 4.94 + 1.38 which showed that the level of ankle pain was mild to moderate among the participants. The correlation between type of footwear, daily duration of standing, and intensity of pain were significantly positive. High heels were related to more pain levels, whilst sneakers were related to less pain. Conclusion: This study concluded that footwear and ankle pain have a significant relationship with young female students. Most of the participants had mild to moderate pain with an increased level of pain being recorded among the individuals wearing high heels. As well, prolonged standing hours and daily footwear use were observed to contribute to the severity of pain. On the contrary, sneakers were related with reduced rates of ankle pain.