Advanced Plantar Pressure Analysis for Custom Foot Solutions

Diabetes care and management using plantar pressure analysis is critical in the preventive stage of care, with the goal of minimizing the likelihood of ulceration and amputation in diabetics. Healthcare providers use pressure plates or in-shoe sensors to measure the plantar pressure thresholds and sensation stratifying patients to low, medium, or high risk based on pressure >800 kPa and/or loss of protective sensation. Patients at high-risk receive custom orthotics with features that aid pressure relief, such as gel-filled chambers or floating metatarsal pads, and are reassessed quarterly with respect to foot pressure. Active educational programs are directed toward the need for self-examination of one’s feet, which is to be carried out routinely on a daily basis, while at the same time avoiding activities that put excessive pressure on the feet. From long-term studies, integrating pressure analysis and education reduces diabetic foot ulcers by 58 percent and lowers amputations by 41 percent as compared to conventional care.