Analysis of the plantar pressure distribution in children with foot deformities

Abstract

This paper describes the method of measuring and assessing the pressure distribution under typical feet and the feet of patients with deformities such as: planovalgus, clubfoot, and pes planus using a pedobarograph. Foot pressure distribution was measured during static and walking at individual normal walking speed. Time-series pressure measurements for all sensors were grouped into five anatomical areas of human foot. In typical subjects, the heel was the first part of the foot receiving the loading of the body. Then it moved to the toe through the midfoot and the metatarsal area. The highest mean pressure in typical subjects was found under the heel and the metatarsal heads. The lowest pressure distribution was under the cuboid bone. In the planovalgus subjects, a higher pressure distribution was found under cuboid bone compared to typical one. In the pes cavus subjects, the pressure distribution was lower under all parts of foot. In the clubfoot subjects, the pressure distribution, the contact area of each mask, and the time of foot contact area in left and right foot are respectively different.