Comparison of plantar pressure distribution in subjects with normal and flat feet during gait

Resumen

The aim of this study was to determine the possible relationship between loss of the normal medial longitudinal arch measured by the height of the navicular bone in a static situation and variables related to plantar pressure distribution measured in a dynamic situation. Eleven men (21 ± 3 years, 74 ± 10 kg and 175 ± 4 cm) participated in the study. The Novel Emed-AT System was used for the acquisition of plantar pressure distribution data (peak pressure, mean pressure, contact area, and relative load) at a sampling rate of 50 Hz. The navicular drop test proposed by Brody (1982) was used to assess the height of the navicular bone for classification of the subjects. The results were compared by the Mann-Whitney U test, with the level of significance set at p ? 0.05. Differences were observed between the two groups in the mid-foot region for all variables studied, with the observation of higher mean values in subjects with flat feet. There were also significant differences in contact area, relative load, peak pressure, and mean pressure between groups. The present study demonstrates the importance of paying attention to subjects with flat feet because changes in plantar pressure distribution are associated with discomfort and injuries.