Relationship between Changes in Foot Arch and Sex Differences during the Menstrual Cycle

Mutsuaki Edama (), Tae Ohya, Sae Maruyama, Mayuu Shagawa, Chie Sekine, Ryo Hirabayashi, Hirotake Yokota, Tomonobu Ishigaki, Hiroshi Akuzawa, Ryoya Togashi, Yuki Yamada and Tomoya Takabayashi
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Mutsuaki Edama: Athlete Support Medical Center, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata 950-3198, Japan
Tae Ohya: Institute for Human Movement and Medical Sciences, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata 950-3198, Japan
Sae Maruyama: Institute for Human Movement and Medical Sciences, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata 950-3198, Japan
Mayuu Shagawa: Institute for Human Movement and Medical Sciences, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata 950-3198, Japan
Chie Sekine: Athlete Support Medical Center, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata 950-3198, Japan
Ryo Hirabayashi: Athlete Support Medical Center, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata 950-3198, Japan
Hirotake Yokota: Athlete Support Medical Center, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata 950-3198, Japan
Tomonobu Ishigaki: Athlete Support Medical Center, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata 950-3198, Japan
Hiroshi Akuzawa: Athlete Support Medical Center, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata 950-3198, Japan
Ryoya Togashi: Institute for Human Movement and Medical Sciences, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata 950-3198, Japan
Yuki Yamada: Institute for Human Movement and Medical Sciences, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata 950-3198, Japan
Tomoya Takabayashi: Institute for Human Movement and Medical Sciences, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata 950-3198, Japan

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 20, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: This study investigated the relationship between changes in foot characteristics and sex differences during the menstrual cycle in healthy male and female university students. We examined 10 female subjects and 14 male subjects. The menstrual cycle was divided into the three phases: the early follicular phase, ovulatory phase, and luteal phase via basal body temperature, an ovulation kit, and salivary estradiol and progesterone concentration measurements. Foot characteristics required for the calculation of the arch height index (AHI) were measured using a three-dimensional foot scanner under conditions of 10% and 50% weight-bearing loads. Arch height at 50% of foot length and truncated foot length were measured, and AHI was calculated by dividing arch height by truncated foot length. Arch height flexibility (AHF) was defined as the change in arch height from 10% weight-bearing load to 50% weight-bearing load. AHI was significantly lower in females than in males in the early follicular and ovulatory phases but did not differ significantly between males and females in each phase. AHF did not differ significantly between males and females in each phase. AHI and AHF showed no periodic fluctuation, suggesting that sex differences in AHF may be absent.

Keywords: menstrual cycle; sex difference; arch height index; arch height flexibility (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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