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Metatarsal dome versus bar

Discussion in 'Biomechanics, Sports and Foot orthoses' started by fronny, Feb 24, 2013.

  1. fronny

    fronny Active Member


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    I hope someone can enlighten me on this one. When trying to transfer weight from the met heads to the shafts, when would you use and met dome and when a met bar? I know that the dome can help to alleviate toe clawing, but doesn't the bar also do this? If this has been covered before can someone link it in, have searched but nothing showing. Thanks.
     
  2. Admin2

    Admin2 Administrator Staff Member

  3. efuller

    efuller MVP

    A metatarsal bar is a piece of material usually attached to the plantar surface of the shoe usually with a heel lift added to the shoe. I would characterize this as a poor man's rocker bottom shoe. If the bar is placed proximal to the metatarsal heads and the shank of the soe is relatively rigid pressures under the metatarsal heads will be reduced. In a rocker shoe this is accomplished by keeping more weight on the heel. So, if your goal is to reduce pressure on the metatarsal heads it will work, but it won't shift the load to the metatarsal shafts.

    The bar could be considered a tripping hazard, depending on how it is done. However, a rocker effect may be more comfortable than a met cookie. The met cookie (dome) is easier to apply.

    Eric
     
  4. fronny

    fronny Active Member

    Thank you Eric. I have to admit that I was thinking of the metatarsal bar as an addition to an insole rather than the outer sole. I seem to remember reading some research indicating that the bar was better at offloading the met heads than the dome? I've found that patients seem to find a bar more comfortable than a dome, I' just wondered if they were basically doing the same thing?
     
  5. efuller

    efuller MVP

    Could you describe what you are calling a metatarsal bar?
     
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