Dynamic plantar pressure in the treated clubfoot: an orthopaedic engineering study

Dynamic plantar pressure assessment provides a quantitative functional tool for monitoring foot kinetics. In this study 26 idiopathic clubfeet that had complete subtalar releases at an average of 7.5 years underwent EMED plantar pressure study. As compared to 68 normal subjects, treated clubfoot patients showed greater differences in plantar contact area and peak pressure at the midfoot, and hallux. A significant lateral shift of the center of pressure in the region of the forefoot was also found. The effects of complete subtalar releases on the forefoot pressures is a unique finding.