The physical therapy department of the New York-based Touro College, which is in the School of Health Sciences, has been awarded a $10,000 grant by the Mt. Sinai School of Medicine to study the impact of a special shoe design on musculoskeletal conditions in the lower extremities and spine. According to a Touro College news release, Shira Schecter Weiner, PT, Phd, principal investigator of the study, says the purpose of the study is to examine the biomechanical impact of a shoe design designed for therapeutic use.

The Touro College news release notes that the shoe will be tested by students on healthy volunteers to better understand how it affects gait and muscle activity in the legs when walking. The manufacturer of the shoe claims it provides relief from various conditions of the back, knee, and foot.

Weiner says, “This study is important because many claims are made regarding various over-the-counter therapeutic devices with little data to support these claims. This is very true in the shoe industry.  There is increasing need for individuals to be able to make wise self-care decisions regarding their health and well-being.”

Weiner explains that the manufacturer of the shoe may be able to use the results to substantiate its claims of pain relief or modify design features, as indicated on the Touro College news release. The study will be conducted in collaboration with faculty and students from the graduate program of ergonomics and biomechanics of New York University.

The funds for the study are part of larger grant from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to the New York and New Jersey Education and Research Center (ERC).

Source: Touro College