Whatever happened to Barbie’s feet? The podiatrs studied 2750 dolls to find out

What do you get when a group of podiatrów (and shoes lovers) join forces with the Barbie doll collector? A huge opportunity to examine how Barbie reflects changes in the types of shoes are worn by women.

It all started with a hit Barbie movie In 2023, in particular, we discussed the scene when Barbie was concerned when he stated that she did not have to walk around toes. She could walk on flat feet.

Soon we designed a research project to study Barbie dolls on the market from its premiere from 1959 to June 2024. It is a total of 2750 barbies.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCz3_R4iekc

In ours Research published todayWe found a general change from the iconic Barbie-on the pain, ready to slip on high-heeled shoes-with flat shoes.

We discovered, like many women today, Barbie “chooses” his footwear depending on what he has to do – flats for a skateboard or work as an astronaut, but on heels when changing for the evening.

We also ask if high heels, which barbie and some women decide to wear, are as bad for your health as we think.

A film that caused #barbiephotchallenge

Barbie feet-in particular her attitude with the course of Ticktok #Barbiephoot trend AND #Barbiephotchallenge. When the film was released, the fans made films to recreate how Barbie came out of high -heeled shoes, but remained in boxes. Margot Robbie, an Australian actor who played Barbie in the film, was even conducted on this subject.

Despite the obvious interest in the cult attitude of Barbie, no specific tests were carried out at her feet or the choice of footwear.

Our research team decided to check how Barbie feet have changed over the years to reflect the types of shoes she wore, and how it involves her various works and growing diversity.

What we did

One of our research teams has an extensive collection of Barbie dolls. This was guided by our online catalog search to examine the position of 2750 Barbie dolls.

Our non-standard audit tool allowed us to classify the attitude of Barbie feet as Tip-toe (known as Equinus) or flat.

We also looked at when the dolls were made, regardless of whether they were varied or integration (for example, they represented disabled people) and whether Barbie was employed.

What we found

We were surprised that Barbie’s high -heeled foot attitude was no longer the norm. Barbie still wears high heels when she is dressed for fun.

We discovered, like Barbie in the film, she made a transition from high heels (Equinus foot attitude) to flat shoes (flat foot attitude), especially when it is employed.

We suggest that this reflect wider social changes. This includes the way women choose footwear in accordance with how much they have to move during the day and away from wearing high heels in some workplaces.

Barbie abandoned her high -heeled foot attitude, climbing her career ladder. In the sixties, all Barbies point to everything, but in the 2020s. Yes, only 40%.

Meanwhile, her biography has expanded, she is not represented as having a job up to 33% representing real work.

She was an astronaut in 1965, before the moon landing, and the surgeon, when the extensive majority of doctors in the United States were men.

US rights changed in the late 1980s.Supporting women to their own companies without the consent of a man. And Barbie reflected it.

She began to trade strings for apartments and spread to the fields dominated by men. Barbie not only broke mold, but began her with low -heeled shoes.

Barbie has also evolved to better reflect the population. We found a moderate relationship between her, which has flat feet and representing diversity or disability.

For example, he chooses a stable flat shoe when using a prosthetic limb. But it was also great to see how her stereotypes of Break footwear, wearing high heels while using a wheelchair.

Are high heels so bad?

Some starsIN media AND Public health tips Warning against wearing high heels. But we know that women (and barbie) decide to wear them from time to time. In fact, these are discussions about the elections for women, which also gave us an idea for these amusing research.

For example, health care employees often combine high -heeled shoes with Developing tumorsIN Bone and knee inflammationIN Back pain Or being wounded.

However nodulesAND knee AND Back pain They are just as common in people who do not wear high heels.

Research testing the risk of high heels is also often performed with People who usually do not wear high heelsor during Competitive sports.

We could not find any research testing the long -term effect of wearing high heels.

Studies show that high -heeled shoes create you Walk slower AND impede balance.

But high heels have different features, such as heel height or shape. So different types of high heels are probably different. This risk probably also varies depending on the person, including how often they walk on the heels.

Lessons for all shoes lovers

But returning to Barbie and the lessons we learned. We know that Barbie is a social structure that reflects some aspects of the real world. He chooses heels when fashion is the target and flat shoes when he needs speed and stability.

Instead of demonizing high heels, news about footwear must evolve to recognize the choice, and women’s trust can balance their own priorities and needs.

As Barbie’s journey shows, women already make thoughtful choices of shoes based on comfort, functions and identity.