Plantar mechanosensitivity affected by insole use

NewsBot · Oct 24, 2014

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Pilot study demonstrating that sole mechanosensitivity can be affected by insole use
Bruno Vie, Christopher James Nester, Lisa Marie Porte, Michel Behr, Jean Paul Weber, Yves Jammes
Gait & Posture; Articles in Press

Highlights
•Occupational use of shoe insoles could modify plantar somatosensory sensation.
•Hard metatarsal pads should affect the plantar sensitivity more than soft ones.
•Subjects wore either hard or soft metatarsal pads for 30 days.
•Only hard metatarsal pads increase the perception of the lowest forefoot loads.
•The changes in plantar sensation vary with the choice of orthotic designs.
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Insoles are known to alter plantar loads and thus plantar sensory input. We therefore hypothesized that plantar somatosensory sensation could be modified over time by use of hard metatarsal pads. A sample of 12 healthy female participants were randomly allocated to either soft metatarsal pads (n = 6, latex foam, Shore A11) or hard metatarsal pads groups (n = 6, thermoplastic, ShoreA65). All wore the same shoe type and pedometers measured daily activities. Using a bespoke actuated device, multiple mechanical stimuli were applied to the forefoot and rearfoot before and after 8 and 30 days of wearing the pads. A control test comprised estimation of multiple auditory sensations at day 0, 8 and 30. Changes in detection of the mechanical and sound stimuli were estimated using the Stevens power function, Ψ = k * Φ n (estimate = Ψ; stimulus = Φ). The k coefficient measured the sensitivity, i.e. the lowest detectable load/sound, and the n coefficient the gain in perception over time.

After 30 days, hard metatarsal pads group had increased plantar sensitivity in the forefoot but not the rearfoot. The soft metatarsal pads group showed no changes in plantar sensitivity and the detection of auditory sensation remained stable over the 30 days.Metatarsal pads with relatively high hardness increased the perception of the lowest mechanical stimulus in the forefoot compared to soft metatarsal pads. This provides initial evidence of the potential for changes in plantar somatosensory sensation due to choice of orthotic designs in patients with foot-related problems.
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Admin2 · Oct 24, 2014

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NewsBot · Nov 11, 2021

No change in foot soft tissue morphology and skin sensitivity after three months of using foot orthoses that alter plantar pressure
Joanna Reeves,Richard Jones,Anmin Liu,Leah Bent,Ana Martinez-Santos &Christopher Nester
Footwear Science Volume 13, 2021 - Issue 3: 18 Aug 2021

Altering plantar load using foot orthoses (FOs) may alter the mechanical work required of internal structures and change the size of muscle and connective tissues. Skin sensitivity might also change as a result of altering mechanoreceptor stimulation. This study investigated the effects of FOs on foot soft tissue morphology and skin sensitivity over three months of use. Forty-one healthy participants wore prefabricated FOs (n = 23) or no insert (n = 18) for three months. The FOs were prescribed specific to each participant, using criteria of a change in peak pressure of 8% in the medial arch (pressure increase) and medial heel (pressure decrease). Ultrasound images were recorded pre- and post-FOs use to derive cross-sectional area and thickness of: abductor hallucis, flexor hallucis brevis, flexor digitorum brevis and the Achilles tendon at the insertion and mid-portion. Plantar fascia thickness was measured at the insertion and midfoot. The minimal detectable difference was established in piloting (n = 7). Skin sensitivity was measured with monofilaments at the dorsum (between the hallux and second toe), medial and lateral heel, medial and lateral arch and the 1st metatarsal head. The FOs increased peak pressure by 15% in the medial arch and reduced it by 21% in the medial heel. None of the changes in soft tissue measurements was greater than the minimal detectable difference and there were no effects of group and time. Skin sensitivity decreased over time at the 1st metatarsal head for both groups, but there was no group effect. Using FOs over three months did not change the foot tissues nor skin sensitivity. This study challenges the notion that FOs make muscles smaller.
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NewsBot · Dec 28, 2023

Capitalizing on skin in orthotics design: the effects of texture on plantar intrinsic foot muscles during locomotion
Kelly A Robb, Stephen D Perry
Exp Brain Res. 2023 Dec 22

Foot orthoses (FO) are a commonly prescribed intervention to alter foot function during walking although their effects have been primarily studied in the extrinsic muscles of the foot. Furthermore, enhancing sensory feedback under the foot sole has been recently shown to alter extrinsic muscle activity during gait; however, the effects of FOs with enhanced sensory feedback on plantar intrinsic foot muscles (PIFMs) remain unknown. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of FOs with and without sensory facilitation on PIFM activity during locomotion. Forty healthy adults completed a series of gait trials in non-textured and textured FOs when walking over hard and soft flooring. Outcome measures included bilateral joint kinematics and electromyography (EMG) of four PIFMs. Results of this study highlight the distinct onset and cessations of each PIFM throughout the stance phase of gait. PIFMs remained active during mid-stance when wearing FOs and textured FOs facilitated muscle activity across the stance phase of gait. Increasing cutaneous input from foot sole skin, via the addition of texture under the foot sole, appears to alter motor-neuron pool excitation of PIFMs. Future academics are encouraged to increase our understanding on which pathologies, diseases, and/or medical conditions would best benefit from textured FOs.
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