Döhner Claudia, Soost Christian, Steinhöfer Sam, Graw Jan A, Bliemel Christopher, Barsumyan Artur, Burchard Rene
Department of Medicine, Philipps-University of Marburg, 35037 Marburg, Germany.
School of Economic Disciplines, University of Siegen, 57072 Siegen, Germany.
Bioengineering (Basel). 2025 May 2;12(5):489. doi: 10.3390/bioengineering12050489.
Post-op shoes (POSs) are commonly used after forefoot surgery to protect the surgical site. However, there are insufficient data on their impact on forefoot load during the rollover phase of walking. This study aims to analyze the effects of a commonly used POS on plantar pressures under the forefoot and to assess whether improper usage could affect pressure patterns. Sixteen healthy volunteers underwent three different walking tests on a straight tartan track. The test setting included walking barefoot, as well as normal walking and a modified heel-accentuated "limping" gait while wearing a common POS. The pressure distribution over the forefoot regions of interest was measured using sensor insoles and a pressure-measuring plate on the ground. Results show that only the heel-accentuated "limping" gait in the POS led to a significant reduction in pressure values over all anatomical regions compared to the normal barefoot gait. Furthermore, higher pressure values were found over the lesser toes during normal walking in the POS compared to normal barefoot walking. The findings highlight that the protective function of a POS relies on proper use, specifically the correct gait pattern. If used incorrectly, POS may even have unfavorable effects on the pressure on the operated forefoot and possibly even increase the risk of delayed healing or complications in comparison to barefoot walking. Therefore, strategies such as patient training in proper walking techniques should be incorporated into postoperative care.
前足手术后通常会使用术后鞋（POS）来保护手术部位。然而，关于其在步行滚动阶段对前足负荷影响的数据不足。本研究旨在分析一种常用POS对前足下方足底压力的影响，并评估使用不当是否会影响压力模式。16名健康志愿者在一条笔直的格子跑道上进行了三种不同的步行测试。测试设置包括赤脚行走，以及穿着普通POS时的正常行走和一种改良的足跟加重“跛行”步态。使用传感器鞋垫和地面上的压力测量板测量感兴趣的前足区域的压力分布。结果表明，与正常赤脚步态相比，只有POS中足跟加重的“跛行”步态导致所有解剖区域的压力值显著降低。此外，与正常赤脚行走相比，在POS中正常行走时小脚趾上的压力值更高。研究结果强调，POS的保护功能依赖于正确使用，特别是正确的步态模式。如果使用不当，与赤脚行走相比，POS甚至可能对手术前足的压力产生不利影响，甚至可能增加延迟愈合或并发症的风险。因此，应将患者正确行走技术培训等策略纳入术后护理。
