Vision, proprioception and plantar sensation contribute to the control of postural balance (PB). Reduced plantar sensation alters postural response and is at an increased risk of fall, and eye movements reduce the postural sway. Therefore, the aim of this study was to study the improvement of plantar sensation and PB after saccadic eye movement (SEM) and pursuit eye movement (PEM) in community-...

BACKGROUND Reconstruction of the heel represents a difficult challenge for surgeons, given the demand for thick, durable skin capable of withstanding both pressure and shear. The authors describe the use of a sensate medial plantar flap for heel reconstruction in three patients and document the long-term retention of sensation compared with the contralateral uninjured heel and corresponding don...

The use of custom-made insoles has shown to be effective for the treatment of high plantar pressure peak of patients with neuropathic feet. Objective: To observe the results of the usage of metatarsal plantar support type of insole in leprosy, through tests in gait and static posture with a baropodometric device. Ten patients with leprosy were randomly selected, ageing 25 to 60 years at the lep...

OBJECTIVE High plantar pressure is an acknowledged risk factor in the development of plantar ulcers in the diabetic neuropathic foot. This study examines the ability of preventive foot care (PFC) socks to reduce plantar foot pressures in a sample of high-risk patients with diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Nineteen patients with established peripheral neuropathy attending a complications ...

Abnormal foot structures are known to influence tension stresses carried by the plantar fascia. An excessive arched foot structure may lead to plantar fasciitis. When conservative treatment fails, surgical intervention called plantar fascia release is often used for reducing chronic heel pain. A finite element structural model for mechanical analysis of the human foot during standing was develo...

Introduction Plantar fasciitis occurs over a wide age range and is seen in both sedentary and athletic individuals. It is seen in both male and female between the age group of (40 – 60) years and its prevalence rate is 21.7%. 10% of the population experience plantar heel pain at some point during their lifetime and plantar fasciitis accounts for approximately 1% of all outpatient visits to the ...

Precise capture of plantar 3D surface of the foot at the loading gait phases on rigid substrates was found to be valuable for the assessment of the physiology, health and problems of the feet. Photogrammetry, a precision 3D spatial data capture technique is suitable for this type of dynamic application. In this research, the technique is utilised to study the plantar deformation as a result of ...

Background It has been suggested that plantar forefoot pain (‘metatarsalgia’) may be caused by the presence of abnormally long lesser metatarsals leading to excessive loading of the metatarsal heads when walking. However, evidence to support this proposed mechanism is limited. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine whether plantar pressures during gait and the relative lengths ...

Background The correlation between foot and ankle pathologies and plantar pressure variables has previously been documented in the literature. One of the premises underlying this correlation is the role of increasing body mass on the magnitude of forces acting upon the foot in locomotion, such as the normal force measurable with plantar pressure equipment. Previously, only a limited number of s...

Degenerative plantar plate failure is an under-recognized cause of lesser metatarsalgia. We performed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with a small receiver coil in 13 patients in whom plantar plate ruptures of the second or third metatarsophalangeal joint were clinically suspected. In eight patients, MRI showed focal hyperintensity in the plantar plate that was interpreted as a rupture of the ...