Use of Pressure-Measuring Insoles to Characterize Gait Parameters in Simulated Reduced-Gravity Conditions.

Prior researchers have observed the effect of simulated reduced-gravity exercise. However, the extent to which lower-body positive-pressure treadmill (LBPPT) walking alters kinematic gait characteristics is not well understood. The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of LBPPT walking on selected gait parameters in simulated reduced-gravity conditions.

Enhancing the Accuracy of Vertical Ground Reaction Force Measurement During Walking Using Pressure-Measuring Insoles.

Pressure-measuring insoles can be an attractive tool for measuring ground reaction force (GRF) since they are portable and can record multiple consecutive steps. Several researchers have, however, observed that these insoles are less accurate than instrumented force platforms. To address this issue, the authors identified transfer functions that best described each insole size to enhance the measurements of the vertical component of GRF during walking.

A comparison of two techniques for center of pressure measurements.

Introduction: Force platforms and pressure-measuring insoles are the most common tools used for measuring center of pressure. Earlier studies to assess these instruments suffered from limited sample sizes or an inadequate range of participant foot sizes. The purpose of this study was to propose new methods to extract and calculate comparably accurate center of pressure for the Kistler® force platform and Medilogic® insoles.

A viscoelastic ellipsoidal model of the mechanics of plantar tissues.

Several assessments of the mechanics of plantar tissues, using various material models in conjunction with representing plantar regions using simple geometry, have been proposed. In this study, the plantar tissues were divided into eight regions to account for the various tissue characteristics. The plantar tissue model described each region as an ellipsoid, with a viscoelastic material model.

Electronic measurement of plantar contact area during walking using an adaptive thresholding method for Medilogic pressure-measuring insoles.

Background: Pressure-measuring insoles have the potential to measure plantar contact area (PA) during walking. However, they are not widely used for this purpose because of the need for a reliable process that can convert the insole output into PA. The purposes of this study were to: (1) develop an adaptive-threshold method for pressure-measuring insoles that can improve the accuracy of the PA measurements during walking, and (2) experimentally assess the accuracy and generalizability of this method.

Concurrent Validity of an Automated Footprint Detection Algorithm to Measure Plantar Contact Area During Walking.

Background: Monitoring footprints during walking can lead to better identification of foot structure and abnormalities. Current techniques for footprint measurements are either static or dynamic, with low resolution. This work presents an approach to monitor the plantar contact area when walking using high-speed videography.

Assessing the validity of pressure-measuring insoles in quantifying gait variables.

Introduction: Pressure-measuring insoles can provide a portable alternative to existing gait analysis tools. However, there is disagreement among researchers on their accuracy and the appropriate calibration methods. The purposes of this study were to (1) determine the validity of pressure-measuring insoles for calculating stance time and support-phase impulse during walking using two calibration procedures, and (2) examine the effect of insole size on the results.