Plantar pressure sensors indicate women to have a significantly higher peak pressure on the hallux, toes, forefoot, and medial of the foot compared to men

Abstract

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p><jats:bold>Background:</jats:bold> Sex-related differences of plantar pressure distribution during activities should be thoroughly inspected as it can help establish treatment and prevention strategies for foot and ankle problems. In-shoe measurement systems are preferable without space and activity restrictions; however, previously reported systems are still heavy and bulky and induce unnatural movement. Therefore, a slim and light plantar pressure sensor was newly developed to detect the effect of sex difference on plantar pressure during standing and walking.<jats:bold>Methods:</jats:bold> One-hundred healthy adult volunteers (50 women and 50 men) were recruited. Ten plantar pressure sensors were implanted in a 1-mm thick insole, with a total weight of 29 g. Plantar pressure was recorded with 200 Hz during 3 seconds of standing and while walking 10 steps. The maximum loads during standing and walking were analyzed in each sensor, and the results were compared between different areas of the foot in the antero-posterior direction and the medio-lateral direction and between different time points. The movement of the center of pressure (COP) during walking was also evaluated. <jats:bold><jats:underline>Analyses were adjusted for body mass index and gait speed.</jats:underline></jats:bold><jats:bold>Results:</jats:bold> The movement of COP was constant for both sexes. In all cases, the maximum load was observed on the medial of the foot. Women had a significantly higher peak pressure on the hallux, toes, forefoot, and medial <jats:bold><jats:underline>aspect</jats:underline></jats:bold> of the foot compared to men while standing and walking (<jats:italic>p</jats:italic> &lt; .05).<jats:bold>Conclusions:</jats:bold> A newly introduced in-shoe plantar pressure sensor demonstrated a typical loading transition pattern of the foot. Furthermore, higher plantar pressure in the forefoot was detected in healthy women as compared to men during standing and walking activities.</jats:p>

A Shoe-Integrated Sensor System for Long- Term Center of Pressure Evaluation

“…In this case, each foot is evaluated separately, and the positions of the sensors on each foot are fixed. Therefore, (1) can be applied to generate the instantaneous CoP positions, which has been verified by many papers [9], [11]- [13]. Through this method, a typical result derived by our system is illustrated in Fig.…”

“…The dynamic CoP estimation is the measurement of the CoP changing on each foot during walking, which provides considerable insight into dynamic foot function [13]. In this case, each foot is evaluated separately, and the positions of the sensors on each foot are fixed.…”

“…Later, a wearable smart insole system that consists of an array of sensors and has wireless communications with the smartphone was presented by Lin et al [9], but the accuracy was not validated. By utilizing the Force Sensing Resistive (FSR) sensors and flexible printed circuit board, different forms of flexible insole-based systems have been developed with high comfort [10]- [13]. In all the previous systems, the direct way of calculating CoP displacement, i.e., averaging the ground reaction forces over the sensor locations, was commonly employed.…”

Comparison of Plantar Pressure Between Patients With Severe Chronic Lateral Ankle Instability and Healthy Subjects

“…The plantar pressure sensor (University of Fukui Graduate School of Engineering, Japan) has ten sensors of 1 mm thickness and 12 g weight [14]. They are connected to a measuring unit of 17 g in weight with a 200 Hz sampling rate ( Fig.…”

Investigation of Plantar Pressure and Plantar Imbalances in the Static Phase of Karate Do Athletes

“…The use of the baropodometric platform requires standardization and an optimized calibration, in order to objectify the research and to increase its clinical and scientific value for studies that analyze feet dysfunctions but also for research in related fields (12). The identification of differences in the distribution of plantar pressure between women and men (healthy adults) in the static and dynamic examination indicates in all cases a distribution of the maximum load on the medial area of the foot, but women have a significantly higher load on the big toe, toes and median side of the leg compared to men (13). Maintaining the balance by ensuring a support base as large as possible and lowering the center of gravity is important in the execution of movements in motor activities, being conditioned by the state of kinesthetic, visual and vestibular analyzers (14).…”