PLANTAR PRESSURE MEASUREMENTS DURING AMBULATION IN WEIGHTBEARING CONVENTIONAL SHORT LEG CASTS AND TOTAL CONTACT CASTS

Total contact casts have been shown to be effective in healing plantar neuropathic ulcerations. The proposed mechanism of action is reductio n of pressure over the ulcer during ambulation. However, there is litt le information to support this contention. Plantar pressure distributi on was studied using standard short leg casts and total contact casts in normal feet. Both types of casts reduced forefoot pressure in study subjects. This occurred because of an increase in plantar surface are a exposed to weightbearing forces. While increased force was shifted t o the midfoot, there was no increase in pressure due to a correspondin g increase in midfoot surface area exposed to this force. No significa nt difference was noted between standard short leg casts and total con tact casts.