Offloading performance of insole materials during walking for diabetic patients

Abstract

Repetitive high pressure on the plantar of the foot along with loss of protective sensation is one of the key factors that result in diabetic foot ulceration. Orthopedic insoles have been proven to significantly reduce the peak plantar pressure. It is anticipated that the offloading performance of insoles is mainly influenced by the properties of insole materials. Therefore, the objective of this study is to compare the immediate offloading performance of 3D insoles designed with 4 different types of insole materials during walking. The PORON® Medical 4708 insole has the best offloading performance for each foot region compared to the other insole materials. Compared to the barefoot condition, the peak pressure with the use of the PORON® Medical 4708 insole is reduced by 37% on the entire plantar surface, 40% at the medial rearfoot, 42% at the lateral rearfoot, 12% at the lateral midfoot, 19% at the 1st metatarsal head (MTH), 59% at the 2nd - 4th MTHs, 46% in the 5th MTH, 4% at the hallux, and 7% at the other toes. Softer insole materials have better offloading performance compared to the harder materials during walking.