Ground Reaction Forces at Discrete Sites of the Foot Derived from Pressure Plate Measurements

Abstract

While the literature is replete with studies investigating the pressure beneath the human foot during walking, ground reaction forces experienced at discrete sites may provide a more valuable insight into its mechanical behavior during gait. Despite the fact that changes in the distribution of force have been reported to occur with both foot deformity and fatigue, site-specific force data for nonpathological gait is not well documented. The current study provides an indirect estimate of force and accompanying temporal parameters, for discrete sites of the foot in young, healthy adults walking at their preferred speed.