A STUDY TO DEVELOP AND TEST DYNAMIC FOOT PRESSURE SCANNER IN EARLY IDENTIFICATION OF PRESSURE POINTS IN DIABETES

Abstract

newline Background newlineDiabetic foot is one of the most common and debilitating complications of newlinediabetes caused by poorly controlled or undiagnosed diabetes. The lifetime risk in a newlinediabetic patient of developing a foot ulcer is as high as 25% and it is estimated that newlineevery 30 seconds, a diabetic patient loses a limb somewhere around the world. newlineDiabetes leads to neurovascular complications that alter the normal newlinebiomechanics of the foot, producing high-pressure areas on the plantar surfaces of newlinethe metatarsal heads, heel and toe regions which break down resulting in ulcer. newlineTherefore it is of paramount importance to identify these high pressure areas and take newlineprophylactic measures to prevent foot complications. newlineAwareness is rapidly growing in the scientific community about the importance of newlineaccurate and reliable method of measuring foot pressure. In 2010 great attention was newlinepaid to the technical aspect of plantar pressure measurement. newlineCommercially available foot pressure measurement systems newline(Platform system newline) newlineare too expensive to be affordable to the common man as well as to the family newlinephysician. newlineObjectives: newlineand#61558; To develop a Prototype of a device in collaboration with Biomedical newlineEngineers. newlineand#61558; To measure the static and dynamic plantar pressures. newlineand#61558; To test the reliability and the validity of the device in measuring plantar newlinepressures newlinexvi newlineand#61558; To identify the association between the demographic variables and plantar newlinepressures. newlineand#61558; To compute sensitivity and specificity of static and dynamic foot pressures. newlineMethodology: newlineResearch Design: Case Series Design newlineResearch setting: KLE s Dr. Prabhakar Kore Hospital and MRC Belagavi. newlineSample size: 110 subjects newlineSampling Technique: Sequential sampling technique newlineResults: The instrument developed was found to be reliable and valid in measuring newlinestatic and dynamic foot pressures. The sensitivity and specificity of the device are newlinegood enough to use it for screening and diagnostic purposes. There was association newlinebetween Static and Dynamic Planter pressures and the demographic variables such as