Continuous Homecare Monitoring of Diabetic Foot Syndrome Using Plantar Pressure-Sensitive Systems

Patients with diabetes are at a high risk of developing diabetic foot syndrome, leading to costly foot ulcerations caused mainly by high peak plantar pressures. Continuous homecare monitoring of the diabetic foot, using plantar pressure-sensitive systems integrated to a computerassisted model for diagnoses and orthotic management, are required by physicians to improve early clinical diagnosis and therapy. Pressure measurement devices, such as in-shoe electronic insoles and platforms are expensive for patients, and are only used in research labs. This paper evaluates a follow-up study on plantar pressure distribution, in a group of subjects with and without diabetes, using the Loran EPS/R1 Platform, and the viability of its incorporation in a computer model.