Plantar Pressure Analysis - Foot Assessment & Orthotics
Duration: 60′
Cost: €100
What is plantar pressure analysis?Foot assessment and custom orthotic insole construction through plantar pressure analysis costs €100. This package includes digital imaging for foot-related conditions. The process is suitable for athletes and non-athletes alike, as this assessment allows us to identify possible conditions that may lead to injuries. This evaluation is also suitable for children aged 6 years and above. Based on the analysis, the person being assessed can have a custom orthotic insole made according to their foot analysis and wear it daily in all their sports shoes.
Includes:
1. Health Screening – Anthropometric Assessment
Body fat %, Body fat kg, Fat-free mass, Muscle mass, Total body water, Extracellular fluid, Intracellular fluid, Body mass index, Bone mass, Body classification, Visceral fat, ECW/TBW ratio, Basal metabolic rate, Phase Angle, Basal Metabolic Rate indicator, Metabolic age, Body fat distribution, Muscle mass balance, Lower limb muscle performance, Segmental analysis for each lower and upper limb and trunk: Fat percentage and evaluation, Muscle mass in kg and evaluation, Reactance/resistance and phase angle, desirable normal ranges.
2. Plantar Gait Analysis (Plantar Pressure Analysis)
Static & dynamic measurement, balance, plantar pressure, comparison between both feet, support surface mapping, heel position, arch loading, deviations of angles/distances from the axis, and two- and three-dimensional imaging.
What is plantar pressure analysis?
It is a para-clinical examination of the lower limbs. Plantar pressure analysis is performed using a special pressure-sensitive walkway (force platform) on which we can stand and walk, allowing us to analyze our posture and gait.
Plantar pressure analysis and its importance
The plantar scanner is a high-tech device that allows us to calculate load distribution for any person of any age above ten years old, whether standing, walking, or running. Through plantar pressure analysis, we calculate how loads are distributed across the feet and transferred to the ground both a) statically (standing posture) and b) dynamically (walking-running).
The importance of load distribution on the feet is enormous because it helps us visualize:
- Anatomical abnormalities
- Deviations from normal alignment
- Poor walking habits
- Instabilities
- High-load pressure points
- Compensatory patterns
- Load-avoidance points
It is very important for all of us to know whether we stand or walk with any deviation from normal alignment. It is worth emphasizing that in some young individuals and athletes, with the help of specific exercises and appropriate orthotic insoles, it is possible to correct such deviations, improve movement performance, and prevent many injuries and sports-related conditions.
What is it used for?
A gait movement analysis is therefore performed, through which we can detect and diagnose anatomical variations and conditions not only of the lower limbs but of the entire musculoskeletal system. For example, anatomical variations and conditions such as flat feet, cavus feet (high arch), leg length discrepancy, valgus foot, genu valgum, cavovarus foot, overpronation, diabetic foot, neurological conditions, rheumatoid foot, sports injuries, etc., can not only be identified, but also diagnosed in terms of severity, type, form, degree, and pressure distribution, and their treatment can be designed. Then, with a new plantar pressure analysis, the result of the treatment can be documented. Plantar pressure analysis is a painless diagnostic method, repeatable, and completely free of radiation.
It should be emphasized here that plantar pressure analysis is not, by itself, a method for making insoles, since even in order to recommend insole construction, plantar pressure analysis alone is not enough; the underlying condition must also exist and be identified. Only then do we have a truly customized insole for the specific person and the specific diagnosed condition.
Every plantar pressure analysis should be accompanied by a diagnosis, just like a CT scan or MRI, from a specialized physician who has studied this specific field (Foot & Ankle Fellowship).
Special mention should be made of the usefulness of plantar pressure analysis (gait movement analysis) in cases where diabetic foot is suspected or present, meaning a lower-limb condition resulting from diabetes, which in some cases may appear in a pre-clinical stage before diabetes itself becomes clinically evident.
It is also important to emphasize that this examination is completely painless and uses no radiation at all, and it can be performed on both adults and children.
Key advantages of a pair of digitally analyzed insoles
- Customized orthopedic insoles
- Insoles with relief and support zones created according to pressure distribution in the lower limbs
- Insoles suitable for all types of shoes
- Insoles lined with antifungal materials
- Washable insoles
- Breathable insoles thanks to their microstructure, preventing the growth of anaerobic microorganisms
- Insoles that can “compensate” for plantar deficiencies by using two or even three materials of different hardness, allowing difficult cases to be addressed with maximum comfort and relief
Usefulness of plantar pressure analysis
- Accurate diagnosis of foot conditions and related problems
- Clear indications of problems involving the ankle, knee, hip, and spine
- Prevention and management of pathological conditions