Plantar foot pressures

Abstract— 3-D Foot Print Device was developed to measure the plantar foot pressures for normal and diabetic patients with neurotrophic ulcers. The results show that patients with peripheral neuropathy develop very high forefoot pressures as compared to normal segment of the populations. Bubble technology and new memory biomaterials insoles were used to reduce these forefoot pressures combined with providing new custom made shoes. 

Keywords— 3-D Foot Print Device, Plantar Foot Pressures, Diabetic and Normal Subjects, Bubble Technology Insoles, Memory Biomaterials. 

Plantar foot pressure data were 628 78 k Pa (values are means SE) peak pressure for 20 normal subjects and 1501 128 k Pa peak pressure for 20 patients with neurotrophic ulcers. A correlation coefficient r = 0.27 reveled a significant difference in plantar pressures between the two groups (p>0.05). 

The mechanism involved in diabetic foot ulceration is high forefoot pressure linked with plantar foot ulcerations. 

The description given is typical of verrucas. Verrucas are plantar warts caused by the human papilloma virus affecting the sole of the foot in pressure areas. The lesion is pushed into the epidermis eventually forming a dry hard plaque with a small central black core, which comprises blood vessels. Preparations containing salicylic acid, which is a keratolytic agent, may be used as treatment. Diabetic patients should be referred. 

Verrucas occur on the plantar surface (sole) of the foot and are painful because of downward pressure on nerve endings in the skin. 

Several techniques have been used to produce the reaction, but basically the arthritic syndrome can be elicited by injecting killed mycobacteria in mineral oil into the plantar surface of the foot or intradermally into the tail. From the tenth day onwards the joints of one or all of the feet gradually become inflamed and are painful, particularly when pressure is applied other inflammatory lesions occur in the ears, tail and lungs. These reactions are present in a severe form up to about the thirtieth day, after which they begin to subside . The degree of inflammation can be assessed visually or by measuring the swelling with a micrometer. 

The dynamic pressure distributions on the plantar surface of the foot, referred to as pedobarography... 

When a Morton neuroma is suspected on clinical grounds, we select a dorsal approach to examine the web spaces because the skin (and especially the stratus corneus of the epidermis) over the dorsum of the foot is thinner than that of the sole and the attenuation of the US beam is less. The patient lies supine or seated on the bed with the knee extended and the ankle in a neutral position. The intermetatarsal spaces should be examined in sagittal planes applying firm pressure with the transducer on the dorsal aspect of the foot while exerting finger pressure in the web spaces from the plantar surface (Fig. 17.50). The thumb of the hand not holding the probe works well for this purpose. The examiner should invite... 

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