[Electronic plantar pressure measurements in different types of moutaineering boots]

Pedobarographic evaluation of five commonly used orthoses for the lower extremity

INTRODUCTION

Orthoses are designed to achieve immobilization or off-loading of certain regions of the foot. Yet, their off-loading capacity for the specific regions has not yet been studied. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyze the plantar pressure distribution of five commonly applied orthoses for foot and ankle in a healthy population.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Five orthoses (postoperative shoe, forefoot relief shoe, short walker boot, high walker boot, and calcaneus fracture orthosis) were compared pedobarographically using insoles on a treadmill to a ready-made running shoe in eleven healthy subjects (median age 29 years). Peak pressure, maximum force, force-time integral, contact time, and contact area were evaluated separately for the forefoot, midfoot, and hindfoot.

RESULTS

The forefoot relief shoe, the short- and high walker boot significantly reduced the peak pressure at the forefoot with no significant differences between these orthoses. None of the five orthoses off-loaded the midfoot, but the calcaneus fracture orthosis and the short walker boot instead increased midfoot load. For the hindfoot, the calcaneus fracture orthosis was the only device to significantly reduce the peak pressure.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first study to investigate the specific off-loading capacities of different orthoses for specific foot regions in a healthy collective. The knowledge of absolute and relative load shifts for the different orthoses is of fundamental interest for targeted clinical decision-making of physicians.

Importance of Sock Type in the Development of Foot Lesions on Low-Difficulty, Short Hikes

Background and objectives: Foot lesions can be developed during hiking because of external factors. This makes it important to study the effect of hiking equipment on lesion development. Materials and Methods: Technical and non-technical socks were given to 109 hikers to wear during a short hike. Participants were examined at three stages of the hike to determine the development of dermal, muscle and nail lesions, temperature and perimeter in various areas of each foot. Results: The percentage of hikers without injuries was significantly higher among those wearing technical socks (p-value < 0.001). Differences were also observed in mean foot temperature, which was higher in participants wearing technical socks (p-value < 0.001). Conclusion: The results indicate that even on a low-difficulty, short-term sport activity, it is advisable to wear technical socks to prevent lesion development and keep the foot temperature more stable. Sock type was identified as an external conditioning factor in lesion development.