A comparison of gait initiation and termination methods for obtaining plantar foot pressures

The midgait protocol is the most commonly used method to collect pressure p latform data. Spatial limitations, however, frequently render this techniqu e unsuitable. Alternative gait protocols have: focused on gait initiation p rocedures in obtaining data. The current study investigated whether a commo nly cited two-step gait initiation protocol, or a two-step gait termination protocol produced pressure data more representative of the criterion, midg ait method. A pressure platform was used to collect data for 25 asymptomati c subjects using the midgait, two-step gait initiation and two-step gait te rmination walking protocols. The contact duration, percentage contact durat ion, peak pressure, peak force, pressure-time integral and force-time integ ral were calculated for seven sites:within the foot. Multivariate analysis of variance with repeated measures identified significant protocol by site interactions for all variables except the force-time integral. The gait ini tiation protocol, although having minimal effect on peak pressures beneath the forefoot. markedly altered the relative timing:parameters of the foot. In contrast, the gait termination protocol had minimal effect on temporal p arameters, but resulted in a reduction in pressures beneath the forefoot. A bbreviated gait protocols are often employed in plantar pressure studies. T his study suggests that the choice between a gait initiation and terminatio n protocol is largely dependent on the gait parameter of interest. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.