DIMENSIONS FOR FITTING FOOTWEAR

Footwear sizing often relies on foot length and foot width even though several studies have shown that foot length and foot width are somewhat correlated. Thus, the traditional sizing system based on foot length and foot width may not be the ideal for footwear fitting. Twenty-seven variables of fifty Hong Kong Chinese male participants that included weight, height, 8 lengths, 7 widths, 7 heights and 3 foot curvature variables were measured in an attempt to find the foot dimensions that can be used for sizing. The first 4 factors of the factor analysis were "length " (explained variance = 32.04), "height" (explained variance = 14.88), “curvature ” (explained variance = 11.66) and “width ” (explained variance = 7.36). A simplified factor analysis of 7 variables showed that foot length and foot curvature can account for 64.2 % of the variance for 2-parameter sizing while foot length, height (or width), and curvature accounts for 77.2 % of the variance for 3-parameter sizing; and length, width, height and curvature accounts for 86.3 % of the variance and may be used for 4-parameter sizing. Overall, the importance of foot curvature and its variation is highlighted