Plantar Pressure Distribution Among Diabetes and Healthy Participants: A Cross-sectional Study

Plantar Pressure distribution refers to the distribution of force over the sole of the foot. Recently many studies indicate plantar pressure distribution assisted in determining and managing the impairment related to musculoskeletal disorders.

This cross-sectional study was conducted with forty participants (20 diabetes type 2 patients +20 healthy) from Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University. All the measurements were taken in the morning session. To measure height and weight, participants took off their shoes and stood on the stadiometer. The body mass index determined with the help of a bioelectric impedance device to get the health level of the participants-Proclaimed diabetes type 2 patients selected for the data collection. Tekscan's Mobile Mat was used to determine the plantar pressure of healthy and diabetes participants.

The finding revealed that diabetes participants have more pressure in the mid-foot section, whereas healthy participants showed more pressure on the heel section. The metatarsal section showed similar types of pressure distribution in both participants. The result also revealed that diabetes participants have more peak pressures, time integral, and gradient than healthy participants. Significant differences between diabetes and healthy participants were existing.

The findings highlight the importance of measuring plantar pressure distribution since these are known to incorporate in the main parts of the foot and thus provide a shred of constructive evidence for the total load exposer of a single leg static task.