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Textured foot orthotics and proprioception: augmenting cutaneous feedback to improve joint position sense accuracy
Kelly A Robb1, Daniel Schmidt2, Stephen D Perry1
1Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education, Faculty of Science, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Canada.
Somatosensory & Motor Research
|December 12, 2025
Summary
Textured orthoses improved ankle proprioception in middle-aged adults. Wearing textured foot orthoses (FOTs) reduced joint position sense errors compared to non-textured ones, enhancing neuromuscular control.
Area of Science:
- Biomechanics
- Neuroscience
- Human Movement Science
Background:
- Proprioception is crucial for maintaining balance and joint position sense accuracy (JPSA).
- Cutaneous feedback from foot textures can influence neuromuscular control, but its effect on JPSA is understudied.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of textured foot orthoses (FOTs) versus non-textured foot orthoses (FOs) on ankle JPSA.
- To assess changes in proprioception with augmented cutaneous feedback in young and middle-aged adults.
Main Methods:
- 48 healthy participants (31 young, 17 middle-aged) performed passive ankle JPSA tasks (5°, 10° plantarflexion/dorsiflexion) while wearing FOTs and FOs.
- Measurements included error accuracy, muscle activity (tibialis anterior, medial gastrocnemius), and center of pressure displacement.
Main Results:
- Middle-aged adults showed a 31% reduction in JPSA error for the 5° dorsiflexion task when wearing FOTs compared to FOs.
- No significant differences were noted for young adults or other JPSA tasks.
Conclusions:
- Augmenting cutaneous feedback through textured orthoses can enhance ankle proprioception in middle-aged individuals.
- This suggests potential for FOTs in improving balance and reducing fall risk in older populations.
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