Static and Dynamic Foot Pressure Analysis in Asymptomatic Adults: A Cross-Sectional Analysis

Normative data on plantar pressure distribution are essential for comparing the plantar pressures of healthy people with those of symptomatic individuals. The present study analyzed the foot pressure distribution variations among healthy males and females in static and dynamic conditions.

A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation on individuals aged 18 to 65 years with no known foot pathologies or deformities. Both static and dynamic pedobarographic variables were measured using the BTS P-WALK system.

Among 160 participants, the static analysis showed that average hindfoot pressure (right, 59.8 ± 21.4; left, 72.1 ± 55.4) was significantly higher than average forefoot pressure (right, 29.2 ± 13.9; left, 23.4 ± 12.7) (P < .001). The average forefoot pressure was significantly higher in males (right, 30.1 ± 23.8; left, 23.8 ± 21.7) than in females (right, 21.8 ± 20.6; left, 16.6 ± 15.3) (P = .043 and .016, respectively), whereas the average hindfoot pressure was higher in females (right, 63.5 ± 25.9; left, 75.3 ± 23.9) than in males (right, 56.1 ± 19.6; left, 68.8 ± 24.2) (P = .043 and .089, respectively).

The hindfoot bore more load than the forefoot when standing. Males carried a greater proportion of load over the forefoot than females. When walking, overall, the weightbearing pattern over the hindfoot and forefoot was similar.