Influence of reduced plantar sensatıon and muscle weakness on plantar pressure

Abstract

Purpose: To determine the isolated contribution of reduced plantar sensation and of muscleweakness by simulating them on healthy subjects was aimed.Material and Methods: The study group consisted of 18 subjects (20 - 44 years old).Subjects walked in 4 different conditions (condition 1 was normal condition walking innormal gait pattern, condition 2 was reduced muscle strength walking by wearing waistcoatcontains 40% of subject?s body weight, condition 3 was reduced plantar sensation walkingafter 12 minutes ice immersion approach and condition 4 was combination of conditions 2and 3) with their preferred walking speed. Plantar surface of the foot divided into ten differentareas (two areas for hindfoot, two areas for midfoot, three areas for MTHs (1, 2, 3-4-5) andthree areas for toes (1, 2, 3-4-5).Results: There was significant main effect of all areas, of the waistcoat condition and of icedcondition (F=66.11, F=57.27, F=14.39 prospectively). There was insignificant main effect ofcombined condition. There were significant interaction effects between the areas and thewaistcoat condition (F=5.71) and between areas and the iced condition (F=7.28). Peakpressure on areas 5, 6 and 7 were higher than other areas under iced condition. Peak pressureon areas 3 and 6 were higher than other areas under waistcoat condition.Conclusion: Reduced plantar sensation had more effect on plantar pressure than muscleweakness whereas both of them had no effect on healthy subjects. This result may project todiabetic patients with reduced plantar sensation and desensitization training should beconsidered to manage that problem