DYNAMIC PLANTAR PRESSURE DISTRIBUTION MEASUREMENTS IN HEMIPARETIC PATIENTS

Objective. A comparison of plantar pressure distribution of hemipareti c patients with a control group was performed to determine quantitativ e, objective and reproducible criteria for better assessment of hemipa retic gait. Design. This empirical, descriptive study used a clinical sample of 18 hemiparetic patients and compared the data to previously published data from ill healthy persons. Background. Several biomechan ical methods have been used in the past to evaluate and classify hemip legic gait, for example kinetic, cinematographic, or electromyographic systems, but plantar pressure distribution measurement has not been s tudied. Methods. Peak pressures were determined under the feet of 18 h emiparetic patients during stance phase using a capacitive pressure di stribution platform (EMED-F01 system, Novel GmbH). Results. Hemipareti c patients showed considerably lower peak pressures under all anatomic al structures and an unexpected medial load shift in the forefoot. Con clusions. The grade of spasticity seems to be the most important cause for expression of the medial load shift. Individual pressure distribu tion gait analysis, as shown in an example, may improve assessment and therapy of hemiparetic patients.