Clinical application of plantar pressure analysis

The core applications of plantar pressure analysis in clinical medicine can be categorized into the following areas:

I. Diagnosis of foot diseases

Structural abnormality screening

Identifying flat feet (even pressure on the medial longitudinal arch) and high-arch feet (concentrated pressure on the forefoot and heel) through static pressure mapping

Dynamic analysis can quantify the center of pressure deviation trajectory in patients with inversion/valgus foot, assisting in the development of orthotic treatment plans

Diabetic foot management

Early warning of foot ulcer risk: localizing high pressure areas on the forefoot or heel (>25 N/cm² requires intervention)

Monitoring pressure redistribution during ulcer healing

II. Neurorehabilitation assessment

Gait analysis after stroke

Assessing gait symmetry using the COP (center of pressure) trajectory and quantifying the pressure difference between the affected and unaffected sides (>15% indicates abnormality)

Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation

Detecting hip pressure distribution during sitting balance to prevent pressure ulcers

III. Sports Medicine Intervention

Sports Injury Prevention

Analyzing running strike patterns (e.g., excessive forefoot impact > 3 times body weight requires adjustment)

Postoperative Functional Recovery

Tracking changes in weight bearing after fracture or joint replacement surgery

IV. Child Development Monitoring

Tracking the arch formation process in children aged 3-12 years to detect flatfoot tendencies early (an arch index < 0.3 indicates abnormality)

Evaluating the effectiveness of orthotic insoles in improving gait in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis

V. Elderly Health Management

Fall Risk Assessment: Detecting the center of mass swing ellipse using the Sway test (> 4 cm² indicates high risk)

Customized pressure-relieving insoles to relieve osteoarthritis pain