Evaluation of plantar pressures in footwear with unstable sole construction and in conventional athletic footwear
Abstract
Our study investigates plantar pressure distribution in both conventional footwear and one type of footwear with unstable sole construction, namely MBT. For the analysis of pressure distribution between the foot and the insole, the Pedar system was utilized in combination with the synchronic video recording of the gait cycle.
Our test group for measuring consisted of ten healthy female participants walking on the simulator with the velocity of 5 and 7 km/h. The studied parameters were peak pressure, peak vertical forces, peak vertical forces under the heel bone, gait duration and the length of stance.
Within the framework of our study, footwear with unstable sole construction in comparison to conventional footwear did not produce any significant redistribution of plantar pressures. Faster walking speeds initiated foot loading asymmetry on the foot sole.
When walking speeds increased, peak pressure grew, vertical forces rose alongside the plantar pressures under the heel bone.