Objective: Prior studies have examined the effect of cadence on ground
reaction forces by use of a force plate. Force plate studies generall
y analyze isolated steps and do not provide insight into ongoing step-
to-step variations or in-shoe plantar pressures. The objective of this
study was to evaluate the effect of walking cadences on in-shoe plant
ar pressures over extended periods of continuous walking. Design: Nonr
andomized control trial. Setting: Laboratory. Patients or Other Partic
ipants: Volunteer sample of 8 able-bodied subjects. Interventions: In-
shoe plantar pressures were studied during four minutes of continuous
walking at controlled cadences of 70, 80, 90, 100, 110, and 120steps/m
in. For each cadence more than 200 steps were analyzed for each of the
8 subjects. Main Outcome Measures: Pressure-time integrals, foot-to-f
loor contact durations, and peak pressures at all 14 locations were pr
ocessed for each step. Changes were calculated compared to values at 7
0steps/min. Results: With increasing cadence, mean pressure-time integ
rals continuously decreased (45% at 120steps/min); mean foot-to-floor
contact durations continuously decreased (64% at 120steps/min); and me
an peak pressures increased (119% at 120steps/min). Conclusions: Our r
esults show that as walking cadence increases, pressure-time integrals
and foot-to-floor contact durations decrease, and peak plantar pressu
res increase. This is clinically relevant to all kinetic gait studies
because our results suggest that normal values should be established f
or each cadence. (C) 1995 by the American Congress of Rehabilitation M
edicine and the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitati
on.