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Inter- and intra-examiner reliability of footprint pattern analysis obtained from diabetics using the Harris mat
Lígia de Loiola Cisneros1, Tiago H S Fonseca, Vivianni C Abreu
1Departamento de Fisioterapia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil. ligialoiola@ufmg.br
Insights
The Harris and Beath footprinting mat shows excellent reliability for analyzing diabetic foot ulceration risk. This method provides consistent results across multiple examiners and over time.
Area of Science:
- Podiatry
- Diabetic Foot Care
- Biomechanical Analysis
Background:
- High plantar pressure is a significant risk factor for ulceration in diabetic patients.
- The Harris and Beath footprinting mat is utilized for screening diabetic foot ulceration risk.
- Limited data exists on the reliability of footprint pattern analysis for this screening tool.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the inter- and intra-examiner reliability of footprint pattern analysis using the Harris and Beath footprinting mat.
- To validate the consistency of measurements obtained from the footprinting mat.
Main Methods:
- Footprints were collected from 41 participants using the Harris and Beath footprinting mat.
- Three independent examiners analyzed the footprint images.
- One examiner re-analyzed the images after one week to determine intra-examiner reliability.
Main Results:
- Inter-examiner reliability analysis showed excellent agreement (K(w) > 0.80) for most foot points.
- Intra-examiner reliability analysis also demonstrated excellent agreement (K(w) > 0.80).
- The established criteria for analysis yielded high to excellent agreement.
Conclusions:
- The criteria for analyzing footprint patterns from the Harris and Beath mat exhibit good reliability.
- The method demonstrates high inter- and intra-examiner agreement, making it reliable for clinical use.
- This validated method supports its use in screening for diabetic foot ulceration risk.
Introduction:
High plantar pressure is a proven risk factor for ulceration among individuals with diabetes mellitus. The Harris and Beath footprinting mat is one of the tools used in screening for foot ulceration risk among these subjects. There are no reports in the literature on the reliability of footprint analysis using print pattern criteria.
Objective:
The aim of this study was to evaluate the inter- and intra-examiner reliability of the analysis of footprint patterns obtained using the Harris and Beath footprinting mat.
Methods:
Footprints were taken from 41 subjects using the footprinting mat. The images were subjected to analysis by three independent examiners. To investigate the intra-examiner reliability, the analysis was repeated by one of the examiners one week later.
Results:
The weighted kappa coefficient was excellent (K(w) > 0.80) for the inter- and intra-examiner analyses for most of the points studied on both feet.
Conclusions:
The criteria for analyzing footprint patterns obtained using the Harris and Beath footprinting mat presented good reliability and high to excellent inter- and intra-examiner agreement. This method is reliable for analyses involving one or more examiners. Article registered in the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR) under the number ACTRN12609000693224.
