Abstract-For this study, we compared the effectiveness of different design insoles for redistributing pressure during walking for diabetic patients and for normal control subjects. Comparisons of dynamic plantar foot pressure patterns were made with different support, including shoe-only, flat insole, and three contoured insoles. We custom-molded the three contoured insoles by casting the plantar surface of the foot under the conditions of non-weight-bearing, semi-weight-bearing, and fullweight-bearing. With the F-Scan in-shoe system, the interfacial pressure distribution during walking with different plantar supports was measured at 50 Hz for 10 s. The use of insoles could significantly reduce local peak pressure and pressure-time integral and increase the contact area. Contoured insoles were significantly better than flat insoles with regard to the insole functions in reducing local peak pressures. The insole with the semi-weight-bearing foot shape can offer the greatest peak pressure reduction compared to other insole designs, especially for patients with peak pressure located at the second to third metatarsal heads.

Knowledge of the plantar foot shape alteration under weight bearing can offer implications for the design and construction of a comfortable and functional foot support. The purpose of this study was to quantify the change in threedimensional foot shape under different weight-bearing conditions. The plantar foot shapes of 16 normal feet were collected by an impression casting method under three weight-bearing conditions: non-weight bearing, semi-weight bearing, and fullweight bearing. An optical digitizing system was used to capture the three-dimensional plantar surface shape of the foot cast. Measurements and comparisons from the digitized shapes were conducted for the whole foot and regions of the foot. The data showed that increased weight bearing significantly increased the contact area, foot length, foot width, and rearfoot width, while it decreased average height, arch height, and arch angle. Compared with the non-weight-bearing foot shape, the semi-weight-bearing condition would produce increases in the contact area of 35.1% ± 21.6 %, foot length of 2.7% ± 1.2%, foot width of 2.9% ± 2.4%, and rearfoot width of 5.9% ± 4.8%, and decreases in the arch height of 15.4% ± 7.8% and arch angle of 21.7% ± 17.2%. The full-weight-bearing condition would produce increases in the contact area of 60.4% ± 33.2%, foot length of 3.4% ± 1.3%, foot width of 6.0% ± 2.1%, and rearfoot width of 8.7% ± 4.9%, and decreases in the arch height of 20.0% ± 9.2% and arch angle of 41.2% ± 16.2%. The findings may be useful for considering the change of foot shape in the selection of shoe size and shoe or insole design.Abbreviations: FWB = full-weight bearing, ICC = intraclass correlation coefficient, MTH = metatarsal head, NWB = nonweight bearing, SWB = semi-weight bearing.

No abstract

IGB produces meaningful weight loss and significantly improves obesity-related illnesses and quality of life.

LGCP is safe and effective in achieving significant weight loss in obese ethnic Chinese patients. However, weight loss in BMI <35 is more pronounced. It is a very valid alternative to other procedures in Asian population.

LSG is safe and effective in achieving significant weight loss in obese ethnic Chinese patients.

No abstract

Abstract-This study measured the bending stiffness of the spine when it is subjected to posteroanterior mobilization force. The lumbar spine was modeled as an initially curved beam column supported over the rib cage and the pelvis. Posteroanterior mobilization was assumed to be three-point bending of the beam. The mobilization force was measured by the mounting of a force plate onto the manipulation couch, where electromagnetic sensors measured the change in spinal curvature. The bending stiffness of the spine was derived from the force and curvature data. The technique developed in this study provided highly repeatable data. The theoretical analysis suggests that the pelvic rotation produced by mobilization may be used clinically to indicate the magnitude of the mobilization force. Future research may employ the present method to determine how back pain may affect the bending stiffness of the spine. The bending stiffness values reported in this study will be valuable to future modeling work.