IN-SHOE PLANTAR PRESSURES DURING ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING - IMPLICATIONS FOR THERAPEUTIC FOOTWEAR DESIGN

Pressures on the plantar surface of the foot during activities of dail y living were measured in 12 young, healthy subjects using an in-shoe pressure-measuring device. The tasks chosen were standing, slow and fa st walking, slow running, walking up and down stairs, rising from and sitting in a chair, and walking in a circle. All except the sitting ta sks showed significantly higher pressures in all regions of the foot c ompared with standing, with the exception of walking up stairs and wal king down stairs in the heel region. Both running and walking in a cir cle led to higher pressures (up to 1.42 times greater) in the total fo ot compared with ''normal'' walking. Furthermore, pressures during oth er activities were not always well predicted by walking pressures (r(2 ) = 0.10-0.77). Therefore, measurement during level walking alone cann ot be considered to fully define the plantar pressure affecting a foot in a particular shoe during activities of daily life.