• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.77-82
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• 2010

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the pathway of COP and plantar foot pressure and to determine the correlation between plantar regions during the ascending and descending of a ramp. Methods: Fifteen healthy adults who had no musculoskeletal problems participated in our study. They were asked to walk on a level surface and on an ascending and descending ramp in their bare feet. Pathway of COP and plantar foot pressures were recorded using the Matscan system (Tekscan, Boston, USA). For pressure measurements, the plantar foot surface was divided into seven regions: two toe regions, three forefoot regions, a midfoot region, and a heel region. To determine whether there was a statistically significant difference between pathway of COP and plantar foot pressures during walking, we used repeated measuremes ANOVA. Results: In comparison to results for a level walking, pathway of COP while ascending a ramp had a tendency to be shifted medially in the forefoot and became longer till the big toe. Pathway of COP while descending a ramp also was shifted medially, but ended in the forefoot. Plantar foot pressure of the second and third metatarsal head and the fourth and fifth metatarsal heads was significantly decreased while descending the ramp. Conclusion: These results indicated that plantar foot pressure is changed while ascending and descending a ramp and demonstrated that ramp walking can affect the structure and function of the foot. Therefore, gait environment is associated with significant changes in foot characteristics, which contribute to altered plantar loading patterns during gait.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.63-68
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• 2002

Foot ulceration results in substantial morbidity in patients with peripheral neuropathy. The purpose of this study was to find the relationship of plantar foot pressures during walking to plantar ulceration in patients with Hansen's disease. The subjects were recuruited from two Welfare Clinic for Hansen's disease in Wonju and Uiwang city. Ten subjects (5 females, 5 males) with plantar ulceration and a mean age of 63 years were evaluated in this study. The mean duration of Hansen's disease in these subjects was 30 years. Plantar pressures were measured during self-selected comfortable walking speed by using MatScan system. Three subjects had plantar ulceration under the first metatarsal head. Five subjects had plantar ulceration under the second and third metatarsal head. Two subjects had plantar ulcers under the fifth metatarsal head. Eight of 10 subjects had plantar ulceration at highest pressure point that measured during walking. This result suggests that the abnormal high plantar pressure could be related factor to plantar ulceration in patients with Hansen's disease. Also the foot pressure measurement may be useful to evaluate the risk of plantar ulceration in patients with Hansen's disease.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.11-21
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• 2002

The purpose of this study was to find the effect of rear foot wedge angle on peak plantar pressures on the forefoot during walking. Twenty normal healthy subjects (10 female, 10 male) were recruited. Peak plantar pressure was measured using pressure distribution platforms (MatScan system) in medial forefoot (under the first, second metatarsal head) and lateral forefoot (under the third, fourth, fifth metatarsal head). The subjects walked at the comfortable velocity under seven conditions; bare footed, $5^{\circ}$, $10^{\circ}$ and $15^{\circ}$ wedges under the medial and lateral sides of the hindfoot. The three averaged peak plantar pressures were collected at each condition at stance and toe off phases. The results showed that a significant increase in lateral forefoot plantar peak pressure investigated in the medial wedge and a significant decrease in lateral forefoot plantar peak pressure investigated in lateral wedge at stance phase (p<.05). These results suggest that rear foot wedge may be useful to modify the peak plantar pressure on the forefoot.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.224-228
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• 2018

Purpose: The most common cause of plantar ulceration is an excessive plantar pressure in patients with peripheral neuropathy. Foot orthosis and therapeutic footwear have been used to decrease the plantar pressure and prevent the plantar ulceration in in diabetes patients. We investigated whether protective sock with functional insoles reduce plantar pressure while walking in 17 diabetes patients. Methods: An in-shoe measurement device was used to measure the peak plantar pressure while walking. Peak plantar pressure data were collected while walking under two conditions: 1) wearing diabetic sock and 2) wearing the protective sock with functional insoles. Each subject walked 3 times in 10-m corridor under three conditions, and data were collected in 3 steps in the middle of corridor with in right and left feet, respectively. Pared t-test was used to compare the peak plantar pressures in three plantar areas under these two conditions. Results: The protective sock with functional insoles significantly reduced the peak plantar pressure on the lateral rearfoot, but significantly increased the peak plantar pressure on the middle forefoot, and medial midfoot (p<0.05). However, there were not significant in medial and lateral forefoot, lateral midfoot, and medial rearfoot between diabetic sock and the protective sock conditions (p>0.05). Conclusion: The protective sock with functional insoles reduced plantar pressures in the rearfoot and supported the medial longitudinal arch. However, it is necessary to change the position of metatarsal pad in the insole design of forefoot area to prevent diabetic foot ulceration.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.141-150
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• 2012

This study aims to provide the basic biomechanical data on the average, maximum and distribution of plantar pressure during hockey penalty stroke by comparing five skilled and five unskilled players. Following are the conclusions. First in the case of average and maximum planter pressure during penalty stroke, the skilled players showed higher pressures at the moment of left foot landing in rear plantar of left foot and fore, rear plantar of right foot compared to the unskilled players. Also at the moment of impact, the skilled players showed higher pressures in fore, rear plantar of left foot and fore plantar of right foot compared to the unskilled. The analysis drew the conclusion that the skilled players move their center of body from fore, rear plantar of right foot to fore, rear plantar of left foot at the moment of left foot landing and impact in order to perform a quick and strong shooting. Second in the case of plantar distribution, as the skilled players put over 70% of their weights on left foot, they showed overall higher plantar pressure distributed on the outer fore, mid and rear parts of left foot plantar, in contrast with the unskilled players who showed about 50/50 distribution of weights on their right and left foot. The analysis concluded that such distribution was shown because the skilled players transferred their weights from the right to left foot effectively while the unskilled players could not do so.

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.36-40
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• 2003

Purpose: To investigate the relationship between radiographic parameters of the forefoot and plantar pressure in patients with hallux valgus. Materials and Methods: Plantar pressures of 21 patients with hallux valgus were examined with EMED-ST system. The data were compared with the parameters on the simple weightbearing dorsoplantar radiographs of the feet. The radiographic parameters that were measured were hallux valgus angle, 1-2 intermetatarsal angle, relative lengths of the metatarsals which were measured with the methods described by Maestro et al. and Okuda et al. Results: Statistically significant correlation was found between peak pressures under 2, 3 metatarsal heads and the relative lengths of 2, 3 metatarsals which were measured with the method described by Maestro et al. However they could explain only 13% of the pressures under the 2, 3 metatarsal heads by multivariate analysis. Conclusion: These results suggest that we cannot predict the plantar pressures under the foot with the parameters on the simple weightbearing dorsoplantar radiographs of the feet.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.197-204
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• 2009

It bas been hypothesized that foot ulceration might be internally initiated. Current instruments which merely allow superficial estimate of plantar loading acting on the foot, severely limit the scope of many biomechanical/clinical studies on this issue. Recent studies have suggested that peak plantar pressure may be only 65% specific for the development of ulceration. These limitations are at least partially due to surface pressures not being representative of the complex mechanical stress developed inside the subcutaneous plantar soft-tissue, which are potentially more relevant for tissue breakdown. This study established a three-dimensional and nonlinear finite element model of a human foot complex with comprehensive skeletal and soft-tissue components capable of predicting both the external and internal stresses and deformations of the foot. The model was validated by experimental data of subject-specific plantar foot pressure measures. The stress analysis indicated the internal stresses doses were site-dependent and the observation found a change between 1.5 to 4.5 times the external stresses on the foot plantar surface. The results yielded insights into the internal loading conditions of the plantar soft-tissue, which is important in enhancing our knowledge on the causes of foot ulceration and related stress-induced tissue breakdown in diabetic foot.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.183-191
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• 2012

The objective of this study was to evaluate the plantar foot pressure of skilled and unskilled players during a free throw. The experiment performed here in measured the movement route of the mean foot pressure, maximum foot pressure, and center of pressure in four event zones (ready, maximum knee flexion, release event, and maximum knee extension) for both groups while they were wearing the plantar foot pressure measurement equipment under identical conditions. The major findings are as follows. When getting ready (RD) during a free throw, the skilled player group had higher mean and maximum foot pressures, although neither variable showed significant differences statistically. For the maximum knee flexion (MF) during a free throw, the skilled player group had higher mean and maximum foot pressures, but only the mean foot pressure significantly differed statistically. For the release event (RE) during a free throw, the unskilled player group had higher mean and maximum foot pressures, but only the mean foot pressure significantly differed statistically. During the maximum knee extension (ME) of a free throw, the unskilled player group had a higher mean foot pressure, and the skilled player group had a higher maximum foot pressure. No significant correlation was found between the two groups. For the skilled player group, movement towards the center of pressure showed a stable form that moved from the rear to the front and from side to side during a free throw. For the unskilled player group, movement towards the center of pressure was unstable, which made it impossible to move from the rear to the front and from left to right.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.25-29
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of two different lifting posture on the plantar foot pressure, force and COP(center of pressure) trajectory path during object lifting. Fourteen healthy adults who had no musculoskeletal disorders were instructed to lift with two postures(stoop and squat) and two object weights(empty box and 10 kg box). Plantar foot pressures, forces and COP trajectory path were recorded by the F-mat system(Tekscan, Boston, USA) during object lifting with barefoot. Plantar foot surface was defined as seven regions for pressure measurement; two toe regions, three forefoot regions, one midfoot region and one heel region. Paired t-test was used to compare the outcomes of peak pressure and maximum force with different two lifting postures and two object weights. Plantar peak pressure and maximum force under hallux was significantly greater in squat posture than stoop posture during the two different boxes lifting(p<.05). During the empty box lifting, maximum force under lessor toes was significantly less and plantar peak pressure under second metatarsal region was significantly greater in squat than stoop(p<.05). Maximum force under heel was significantly less in squat than stoop posture during 10kg box lifting(p<.05). Finally, COP trajectory path was significantly greater in squat than stoop(p<.05). These findings confirm that there are significantly change in the structure and function of the foot during the object lifting with different posture. Future studies should focus on the contribution of both structural and functional change to the development of common foot problems in adults.

• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.613-619
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• 2013

This study compares the gait characteristics of elderly women during barefoot walking and walking with sneakers. We measured foot angles, max foot pressure, peak plantar pressure of each plantar region, velocity of Center of Pressure(COP), and axis shifting of COP with an RS-scan system. Elderly women's foot angles were narrower when walking with sneakers than when barefoot walking. We found that the subtalar joint angle (representing ankle joint flexibility) affected walking stability. Regarding the peak plantar pressure of each foot region, pressures were high in the medial regions and the pressures greatly varied depending on the region measured during barefoot walking. The COP moved significantly faster when walking with sneakers than barefoot walking and suggests that elderly women walked faster in sneakers. Axis shifting of the COP decreased during walking with sneakers and indicated that gait balance improved when walking with sneakers. The findings of the present study can be utilized as foundational data for elderly women's gait characteristics as well as data for the production of functional footwear. Future research that focuses on various types of shoes, age groups, and gender are recommended for the development of more functional footwear for stable gaits.