Help needed with pressure mat

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Been a while since I have posted as I have been busy busy busy trying to make a living.... anyway, I have what can be described as a new toy

I have bought myself (ok bought the company) a footwork pro pressure mat, I understand the basics of the force time curves and other bits and pieces that can be done with this somewhat funky new toy but I want more.....

Currently we will be using it for basic gait assessment and for looking at centre of mass/balance for skiers (got a nice piece of 5mm EVA coving the mat so we don't damage the seniors with ski boots, yes it dulls the sensitivity a little bit not enough o be a worry for that particular analysis).

Are there any good books available on the subject of plantar pressure analysis so that I can get the most from the mat, I would also think about a day or 2 of a course if such i thing exists.

Thanks in advance for any guidance

Colin

I apologise in advance, the search function was not my friend!

 

In a word, no.

Talk to David Smith (UK) or Bruce Williams (USA), they would be my first "go to people" on this topic on Podiatry Arena.

 

Simon, thanks for your rapid reply, kind of thought that might be the case... PM to Dave Smith when I get 5mins it is then.

 

Hi Colin,

Whittles Gait Analysis, an Introduction has a section on gait analysis systems, including pressure-mats.

I've used one of these systems for a few years, and can give you a couple of tips.............:
Diurnal variation should be factored in when recording gait analysis data. Tissue elasticity, and therefore joint ROM can and does change throughout the day. This means that what you recorded at 9.00am may not be true at 3.00pm. In real terms it may not matter too much, but you should be aware that whatever system you use, your gait analysis data is not an absolutely accurate picture.

The system is good for patient/client education - perhaps not so applicable for ski-boots, since you'll mostly be looking at frontal plane motion, and perhaps transverse plane motion in the limb via the COP, but I think you may find this aspect worth exploring.

One of the most useful functions of the system is the ability to record and store gait analysis data.

I'm sure Dave and Bruce will be able to give you more information.

 

The thing I find a pressure mat of most use for is to illustrate to a patient in real time how we can alter/manipulate plantar forces with the addition of various interventions such as heel raises, cluffy wedges etc. Clearly it is not without limitations, but for visual explanations of what you may be trying to achieve (and improved patient compliance as a result) its pretty useful.

 

thanks guys, client education is the main focus of having this, in ski boots it can give us useful data about centre of mass and fore/aft positioning before and after orthotics or a heel raise is added, we can also see changes in the pressure laterally/medially when an adjustment is made to the boot cuff or below the sole with planing the surface. what I now need is some time to play with the system, I simply don't have enough time with each client to do this as an experiment (especially at this time of year) by this time next year i will report back with all the useful (and useless) things we have found to do with it

I have Whittle's book, one of the very first books a bought over 10 years ago now (scary how long it has been since I bought that and others)