1st Joint ESMAC-GCMAS Meeting - Análise de Marcha
1st Joint ESMAC-GCMAS Meeting - Análise de Marcha
1st Joint ESMAC-GCMAS Meeting - Análise de Marcha
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O-52<br />
BIOMECHANICAL OPTIMIZATION OF ORTHOPEDIC FOOTWEAR FOR<br />
DIABETIC PATIENTS USING IN-SHOE PLANTAR PRESSURE MEASUREMENT<br />
Bus, Sicco, PhD 1,2 ; Haspels, Rob 2 ; van Schie, Carine, PhD 1 ; and Mooren, Paul 1<br />
1 Department of Rehabilitation, Aca<strong>de</strong>mic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam,<br />
Amsterdam, The Netherlands<br />
2 Diabetic Foot Unit, Department of Surgery, Twenteborg Hospital, Almelo, The Netherlands<br />
Summary/conclusions<br />
Using in-shoe plantar pressure assessments to evaluate orthopedic footwear can be an effective<br />
method to achieve significant pressure reduction at high-risk areas in the diabetic neuropathic<br />
foot.<br />
Introduction<br />
Orthopedic footwear is commonly prescribed to diabetic patients with prior plantar foot<br />
ulceration. Several studies have reported large inter-individual differences in the pressure<br />
reducing effect of various types of custom insoles and shoes [1,2]. Therefore, predicting the<br />
pressure reducing effect of footwear remains difficult. As a result, it has been argued that<br />
custom footwear should be evaluated and optimized using in-shoe plantar pressure<br />
measurement [1,3]. The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility of using in-shoe<br />
plantar pressure measurements to optimize the pressure reducing effect of custom footwear in<br />
patients with diabetes.<br />
Statement of clinical significance<br />
Diabetic patients with a prior plantar foot ulcer frequently show recurrence of an ulcer.<br />
Although there is limited evi<strong>de</strong>nce on the effectiveness of orthopedic footwear in preventing<br />
recurrence of plantar ulceration, optimizing the pressure-reducing effects of orthopedic<br />
footwear using in-shoe pressure analysis may significantly lower the risk for ulcer recurrence<br />
in these patients.<br />
Methods<br />
Ten diabetic patients with peripheral sensory neuropathy and history of plantar foot ulceration<br />
who were previously prescribed with orthopedic footwear participated in this study. Using the<br />
Pedar-X system (Novel, Germany), in-shoe plantar pressures were measured during four<br />
walking trials at a self-selected walking speed. Based on the peak pressure diagrams and values<br />
shown on-screen directly after collecting data, a region(s) of interest (ROI) for optimization<br />
(i.e. pressure reduction) was <strong>de</strong>fined. This was the region with the highest measured peak<br />
pressure and/or with prior ulceration. A maximum of three rounds of footwear modifications<br />
were applied. After each round the effect of the modifications on in-shoe plantar pressure was<br />
assessed using the same protocol and a standardized walking speed. Footwear modifications<br />
inclu<strong>de</strong>d all possible shoe or insole adaptations of which the shoe technician thought they<br />
would reduce pressure at the ROI. Criteria for successful optimization were a 25% or more<br />
reduction in peak pressure or an absolute reduction of peak pressure below 200 kPa [4]. A<br />
<strong>de</strong>tailed analysis of plantar pressure was performed using Novel Multimask software.<br />
Results<br />
A total of 13 ROIs were <strong>de</strong>fined in the 10 patients tested. The number of optimization rounds<br />
varied between one and three. Mean peak pressure at the ROI was reduced from 344 (SD 99)<br />
kPa in the non-optimized footwear to 229 (SD 73) kPa after footwear optimization. Twelve out<br />
of 13 ROIs were successfully optimized by a minimum 25% reduction in peak pressure (mean<br />
33%, range 22% to 50%, see Figure 1 for two examples). In the remaining case peak pressure<br />
was reduced below 200 kPa. The maximum time nee<strong>de</strong>d for footwear optimization (including<br />
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