Approximately 15% of community-dwelling individuals over the age of 65 experience chronic ankle pain as a result of arthritis [1]. To relieve ankle pain, walking casts or boots, which limit ankle movement, are often prescribed. Unfortunately, the use of a walking cast or boot also reduces the need for muscular contractions across the ankle joint, leading to atrophy and weakness of the leg muscles [2]. Furthermore, walking casts and boots are highly noticeable interventions, which may negatively affect therapy adherence.
Recent work has shown that ankle range-of-motion (ROM) is highly sensitive to different rocker shoe radii, suggesting that rocker shoes could be manufactured that minimize ankle motion during the single-limb support phase of walking (i.e., the period of highest compressive load on the joints). These rocker shoes could naturally immobilize the ankle joint given their ability to provide a rocker shape that healthy individuals consistently and...