%0 Journal Article
%T Foot pressure distribution during walking in young and old adults
%A Mary Hessert
%A Mitul Vyas
%A Jason Leach
%A Kun Hu
%A Lewis A Lipsitz
%A Vera Novak
%J BMC Geriatrics
%D 2005
%I BioMed Central
%R 10.1186/1471-2318-5-8
%X We studied 9 young (30 ¡À 5.2 years), and 6 elderly subjects (68.7 ¡À 4.8 years). FPD was measured during normal walking speed using shoe insoles with 99 capacitive sensors. Measured parameters included gait phase characteristics, mean and maximum pressure and force, and relative load.Time-series measurements of each variable for all sensors were grouped into 9 anatomical masks.Elderly subjects had lower normalized maximum pressure for the medial and lateral calcaneal masks, and for all medial masks combined. In the medial calcaneus mask, the elderly group also had a lower absolute maximum and lower mean and normalized mean pressures and forces, compared to young subjects. Elderly subjects had lower maximum force and normalized maximum force and lower mean force and normalized mean forces in the medial masks as well.FPD differences between the young and elderly groups were confined to the calcaneus and hallux regions and to the medial side of the foot. In elderly subjects, weight bearing on the lateral side of the foot during heel touch and toe-off phases may affect stability during walking.Measurement of foot pressure distribution (FPD) is clinically useful because it can identify anatomical foot deformities [1], guide the diagnosis and treatment of gait disorders and falls, as well lead to strategies for preventing pressure ulcers in diabetes. Age-related anatomical and physiological changes in foot bone and ligament structure affect FPD during gait [1]. Gait analysis of healthy elderly people has revealed decreased stride length, reduced step force and increased variability in gait parameters. These findings indicated that unsteadiness during walking is increased in the community-dwelling elderly people, posing a risk for falls [2]. Age was independently associated with lower pressure under the heel, midfoot, and hallux in the multivariate analysis [3]. Foot pressure studies during walking have focused on specific pathology and deformity [4-6] specific anatomical a
%U http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2318/5/8