A Study of the Duration of Load-Bearing under Different Areas of the Foot

Abstract

This paper presents a method of studying the time course of load-bearing under selected areas of the foot during walking. The suitability of the sensors and the reliability of the technique have been demonstrated. The study has shown that the pattern of load-bearing in normal individuals varies from step to step and from day to day. The pattern of load-bearing in normal feet has been compared with the pattern in the feet of patients with symptomatic hallux valgus and significant differences have been demonstrated. The method is currently being used to monitor the changes occurring after surgery for hallux valgus. The early results of this study suggest that it is possible to detect changes which correlate with those to be expected from clinical observation.