COMPARISON OF 3 METHODS FOR OBTAINING PLANTAR PRESSURES IN NONPATHOLOGIC SUBJECTS

The purpose of this study was to determine if pressure data, collected after taking one step or two steps, were similar to values obtained b y using the traditional midgait method. Ten healthy subjects, with a m ean age of 27 years, walked across a sensor platform sampling at 70 Hz . Each subject was randomly assigned to take one step, two steps, or m ultiple steps (midgait method) across the sensor platform. The results of the study indicate that the two-step method, in comparison with th e one-step method, provides pressure data more representative of the m idgait method, and different values for pressure and force will be obt ained, depending on the method of pressure data collection selected by the clinician.