Article

Heel clearance and ankle status (free or locked) are of major
determinants affecting peak plantar pressures and contact area in patellar tendon
bearing brace and have been separately studied by many researchers. This study
investigated the combined effect of ankle status and heel clearance on contact
area and peak plantar pressure in different areas of foot (hindfoot, midfoot, and
forefoot). Study design: Before-after repeated measurement trial. Methods: Nine
healthy male volunteers walked 8 m with normal shoe and four conditions of
patellar tendon bearing brace wear. Repeated-measure analysis of variance test
was used to compare contact area and plantar pressure changes in three areas of
the foot. Results: Application of patellar tendon bearing brace significantly
reduced overall plantar pressure and contact area (p < 0.01). Although both
contact area and plantar pressure significantly decreased in hindfoot and
midfoot, plantar pressure increased in forefoot area (p < 0.05). Conclusions:
Application of the patellar tendon bearing brace can reduce the overall peak
plantar pressure in the foot but increases focal plantar pressure in forefoot.
Excessive lifting of the heel seems to minimize the contact area, thus increase
focal pressure in forefoot. Overall, plantar pressure seems to be more
effectively off-loaded by combining maximum heel clearance and restriction of the
ankle joint. Clinical relevance Although effective parameters of patellar tendon
bearing brace have been separately addressed in previous studies, no study was
found that investigated the combined effect of ankle status and heel clearance.
This study investigates the combined effect of these parameters and provides
detailed information on clinical application of the patellar tendon bearing
brace.

Langue : ANGLAIS