Walking casts: effect on plantar foot pressures

Pressure measurements were made at four sites on the right foot of six normal subjects while they walked in a standard shoe, conventional padded cast, total contact cast, and again in a shoe. No differences in mean relative pressure were found between the padded cast and the total-contact cast. Significant reductions in mean relative pressure were found between the standard shoe and walking casts at the first and third metatarsal head. This study supported the use of walking casts in the management of plantar ulcers. The effectiveness of the cast in reducing plantar pressure was not found to be dependent on the cast padding technique.