Plantar Pressure Asymmetry in Patients Six Months after Surgical Treatment of Calcaneal Fractures in Adults

Abstract

Aim: To compare plantar pressure distribution and contact time in patients in month 6 following operative treatment of calcaneal fractures. Study Design: Walking on the tensometric platform. Place and Duration of Study: Regional Hospital, Trauma Centrum, between September 2014 and October 2015. Methodology: Gait analysis was carried out on seven patients (38±9 years; 1.79±0.05 m; 83±8 kg). Measurements were made using a pedobarography platform. The factors observed comprised: total contact time (CT), peak pressure (PP), maximum vertical force (Fz), heel contact time (CT-heel), peak pressure under the heel (PP-heel), and the force-time integral (FTI). The analysis was based on the data from both the healthy and the affected lower limb; values for symmetry index (SI) were computed. Results: Out of 7 patients, all patients with a longer contact time on the healthy feet were documented. The healthy limbs demonstrated peak pressure values that were predominantly higher beneath the heel, and under the first metatarsus head and under the big toe. On the affected limbs centre of pressure line shifted laterally. Foot contact was applied more often on the outer side of the foot. Not a clear trend was found in the contact time beneath the heel with the ground when 4 patients shortened the duration of the heel contact on the affected limb. Conclusion: The observed patients still show significant lateral changes in dynamic parameters, which is also reflected in the duration of the individual phases of the gait cycle. The calculation of the index of symmetry for the tracked variables showed significant differences between healthy and affected limbs, although all the patients had returned to their working environments at the time of the measurement. This pilot study is a starting point for future work and co-operation between the University and the Trauma Centrum.