Objective: To determine the effects of different heel heights of footwear on gait parameters in normal pregnant women.

Materials and methods: Fifty primigravid women were evaluated at 24th, 28th, 32nd and 36th weeks of gestation in motion analysis laboratory. Anterior pelvic tilting angle, pelvic rota-tion and plantar flexor moments for flat, 1.5 cm, 3 cm and 4.5 cm heel heights were deter-mined by gait analysis using 3D optical motion capture system (Qualisys AB, Gothenburg, Sweden).

Results: At 24th, 28th, 32nd, and 36th weeks of gestation significantly decreased anterior pel-vic tilting and pelvic rotation were detected between 1.5 and 3 cm heel heights. Plantar flexor moment measurements were not significantly different at 24 weeks. However, there were a statistically significant decreases in plantar flexor moment between the flat footwear and both 1.5 cm and 3 cm heel heights throughout at the 28th, 32nd, and 36th weeks of gesta-tion. No significant difference was observed between the flat footwear and 4.5 cm heel heights of footwear for all gestational ages.

Conclusion: Use of 1.5 cm and 3 cm heel heights are associated with less pronounced pelvic tilting, rotation and plantar flexor moments in third trimester pregnancy.