Retrospective pre-post study evaluates occupational foot-related conditions in an industrial setting, revealing reduced morbidity with footwear intervention.
Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of lightweight carbon fiber safety footwear in reducing occupational foot-related conditions. Methods: A retrospective pre–post study was conducted among 3,529 users of safety footwear at a Taiwanese industrial facility. Diagnoses of tinea pedis, plantar fasciitis, and tendinitis were compared between 2021 and 2023 using deidentified occupational health surveillance data. Results: The total number of cases declined from 170 to 136 (20% reduction). Plantar fasciitis dropped from four to zero cases. Tendinitis and tinea pedis decreased by 23.6% and 11.7%, respectively. The overall disease incidence decreased from 4.82% to 3.86%. Conclusion: Lightweight carbon fiber footwear was associated with reduced foot morbidity while maintaining safety standards. Broader implementation and long-term evaluation are warranted.
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Liu et al. (2026) studied this question.
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