Dynamic Foot Pressure Measurement in Parkinson's Disease with Foot Scan System

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Foot Scan System (RS scan international cooperation) measuring the plantar pressure distribution is simple and inexpensive tool for gait analysis. The analysis of plantar pressure distribution of the feet during gait maybe helps the assessment of motor symptoms or gait stability of Idiopathic Parkinson's disease (IPD). METHODS: We compared the parameters of foot scan system between 34 normal controls and 23 IPD patients before and after levodopa administration. Data of plantar force distribution and time of stance phase were collected using pressure-sensitive insoles as parts of the Foot Scan System. RESULTS:There were significant difference between normal controls and IPD patients in fore foot peak pressure/rear foot peak pressure ratio, time percentage of heel strike phase, mid stance phase, propulsion phase in stance phase. But in these parameters there were no significant difference between IPD patients before dopamine with after dopamine medication. CONCLUSIONS: Using the Foot Scan System (RS scan international cooperation) measuring the plantar pressure distribution, we showed that F/R ratio and time percentage of propulsion phase are reduced significantly in patients with IPD, which enables us to understand the features of gait in IPD patients more easily.