Use perception analysis in custom made footwear for people with physical disability

Abstract

People with hemiparesis (partial paralysis in one side of the body) present alteration in their corporal balance and foot deformity, reinforcing the need for more ergonomically adequate shoes to promote safety and comfort. The objective/purpose of this research was developed a customized shoe and evaluate the perception of functional and emotional aspects regarding the developed footwear and the ones available in the market. For such research, a sandal respecting anatomic, anthropometric, and biomechanics aspects was made. A semantic differential scale was used to evaluate the perceptions after six months of use of the customized footwear. The results showed that the participant reported have more positive sensations using the customized footwear both in functional and emotional aspects reinforcing that the footwear are powerful prosthetics tools increasing symbolic values in our bodies, and thicken individual or collective identities.