An Investigation of Regional Plantar Soft Tissue Hardness and Its Potential Correlation with Plantar Pressure Distribution in Healthy Adults

Background. The plantar soft tissue plays a critical role in absorbing shocks and attenuating excessive stresses during walking. Plantar soft tissue property and plantar pressure are critical information for footwear design and clinical assessment. The aim of this study was to investigate the relati...

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Main Authors: Maimaitirexiati Helili, Xiang Geng, Xin Ma, Wenming Chen, Chao Zhang, Jiazhang Huang, Xu Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2021-01-01
Series:Applied Bionics and Biomechanics
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/5566036
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author Maimaitirexiati Helili
Xiang Geng
Xin Ma
Wenming Chen
Chao Zhang
Jiazhang Huang
Xu Wang
author_facet Maimaitirexiati Helili
Xiang Geng
Xin Ma
Wenming Chen
Chao Zhang
Jiazhang Huang
Xu Wang
author_sort Maimaitirexiati Helili
collection DOAJ
description Background. The plantar soft tissue plays a critical role in absorbing shocks and attenuating excessive stresses during walking. Plantar soft tissue property and plantar pressure are critical information for footwear design and clinical assessment. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between plantar soft tissue hardness and plantar pressure during walking. Methods. 59 healthy volunteers (27 males and 32 females, aged 20 to 82) participated in this study. The plantar surface was divided into five regions: lateral rearfoot, medial rearfoot, lateral midfoot, lateral forefoot, and medial forefoot, and the plantar tissue hardness was tested using Shore durometer in each region. Average dynamic pressures in each region were analyzed for the five regions corresponding to the hardness tests. The relationship between hardness and average dynamic pressure was analyzed in each region. Results. The average hardness of the plantar soft tissue in the above five regions is as follows: lateral rearfoot (34.49±6.77), medial rearfoot (34.47±6.64), lateral midfoot (27.95±6.13), lateral forefoot (29.72±5.47), and medial forefoot (28.58±4.41). Differences of hardness were observed between age groups, and hardness of plantar soft tissues in forefoot regions increased with age (P<0.05). A negative relationship was found between plantar soft tissue hardness and pressure reduction at lateral rearfoot, medial rearfoot, and lateral midfoot (P<0.05). Conclusion. The hardness of plantar soft tissues changes with age in healthy individuals, and there is a trend of increasing hardness of the plantar soft tissue with age. The plantar soft tissue hardness increases with plantar pressure.
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spelling doaj-art-2f9757dfbf3a400eb0fa40a69708e9182025-08-20T03:55:16ZengWileyApplied Bionics and Biomechanics1176-23221754-21032021-01-01202110.1155/2021/55660365566036An Investigation of Regional Plantar Soft Tissue Hardness and Its Potential Correlation with Plantar Pressure Distribution in Healthy AdultsMaimaitirexiati Helili0Xiang Geng1Xin Ma2Wenming Chen3Chao Zhang4Jiazhang Huang5Xu Wang6Department of Orthopedics, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, ChinaDepartment of Orthopedics, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, ChinaDepartment of Orthopedics, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, ChinaFudan University, ChinaDepartment of Orthopedics, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, ChinaDepartment of Orthopedics, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, ChinaDepartment of Orthopedics, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, ChinaBackground. The plantar soft tissue plays a critical role in absorbing shocks and attenuating excessive stresses during walking. Plantar soft tissue property and plantar pressure are critical information for footwear design and clinical assessment. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between plantar soft tissue hardness and plantar pressure during walking. Methods. 59 healthy volunteers (27 males and 32 females, aged 20 to 82) participated in this study. The plantar surface was divided into five regions: lateral rearfoot, medial rearfoot, lateral midfoot, lateral forefoot, and medial forefoot, and the plantar tissue hardness was tested using Shore durometer in each region. Average dynamic pressures in each region were analyzed for the five regions corresponding to the hardness tests. The relationship between hardness and average dynamic pressure was analyzed in each region. Results. The average hardness of the plantar soft tissue in the above five regions is as follows: lateral rearfoot (34.49±6.77), medial rearfoot (34.47±6.64), lateral midfoot (27.95±6.13), lateral forefoot (29.72±5.47), and medial forefoot (28.58±4.41). Differences of hardness were observed between age groups, and hardness of plantar soft tissues in forefoot regions increased with age (P<0.05). A negative relationship was found between plantar soft tissue hardness and pressure reduction at lateral rearfoot, medial rearfoot, and lateral midfoot (P<0.05). Conclusion. The hardness of plantar soft tissues changes with age in healthy individuals, and there is a trend of increasing hardness of the plantar soft tissue with age. The plantar soft tissue hardness increases with plantar pressure.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/5566036
spellingShingle Maimaitirexiati Helili
Xiang Geng
Xin Ma
Wenming Chen
Chao Zhang
Jiazhang Huang
Xu Wang
An Investigation of Regional Plantar Soft Tissue Hardness and Its Potential Correlation with Plantar Pressure Distribution in Healthy Adults
Applied Bionics and Biomechanics
title An Investigation of Regional Plantar Soft Tissue Hardness and Its Potential Correlation with Plantar Pressure Distribution in Healthy Adults
title_full An Investigation of Regional Plantar Soft Tissue Hardness and Its Potential Correlation with Plantar Pressure Distribution in Healthy Adults
title_fullStr An Investigation of Regional Plantar Soft Tissue Hardness and Its Potential Correlation with Plantar Pressure Distribution in Healthy Adults
title_full_unstemmed An Investigation of Regional Plantar Soft Tissue Hardness and Its Potential Correlation with Plantar Pressure Distribution in Healthy Adults
title_short An Investigation of Regional Plantar Soft Tissue Hardness and Its Potential Correlation with Plantar Pressure Distribution in Healthy Adults
title_sort investigation of regional plantar soft tissue hardness and its potential correlation with plantar pressure distribution in healthy adults
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/5566036
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