Characteristics of plantar pressure during walking in stroke patients with hemiplegia of different brunnstrom stages: a study based on five-region smart insoles.
Jingsong Mu, Xue Liu, Yan Yuan and 7 others
PMID 42143391WHAT IT FOUND
Stroke patients had abnormal plantar pressure on both sides, most pronounced at Brunnstrom stage III.
Pressure patterns gradually resembled healthy walking as stage increased, but stage VI still showed persistent lateral metatarsal pressure.
Key findings
01Abnormal gait characteristics on both affected and unaffected sides were most pronounced in Brunnstrom stage III, and pressure patterns progressively approximated healthy individuals as stage increased.
02Stage VI patients still showed abnormal plantar pressure, including increased lateral metatarsal peak pressure and a laterally biased center of gravity.
03Gait timing and peak pressure in the toe, medial metatarsal, lateral metatarsal, and heel regions differed across the five groups, while arch pressure did not differ significantly.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study did not test a treatment, so it cannot show that insole-based feedback or any therapy improves walking. Each Brunnstrom subgroup was small, so stage-specific patterns may not generalize. The design was cross-sectional, not a follow-up of the same patients over time. Sex and hemiplegic side differed significantly between groups, which may have affected pressure comparisons. No joint angle or muscle activity data were collected, so the causes of pressure changes remain partly inferred. The insole was developed by the research team, and reliability was described only as preliminary.
Declared interests
The paper names funding from the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the Scientific Research Project of Anhui Higher Education. No author conflicts of interest are reported in the supplied text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume Brunnstrom stage VI means normal walking pressure. The paper reports persistent abnormal lateral metatarsal pressure and a laterally biased center of gravity at that stage.
Summarised by AI from the full paper, without a clinician reviewing it. Check it against the source before it changes what you do. Read it on PubMed →