Foot pressure analysis of gait pattern in older Japanese females requiring different personal care support levels.
Naoto Takayanagi, Motoki Sudo, Masahiko Fujii and 5 others
PMID 29581672WHAT IT FOUND
In 32 older Japanese women needing daily support or care, walking speed did not differ, but stance timing and foot pressure did.
Care-need women had longer stance phase and delayed heel-side pressure peak, especially on the left.
Key findings
01Walking speed and cadence did not differ significantly between the support-need and care-need groups.
02Double support, swing, and stance phase percentages showed significant group effects, with longer stance phase in the care-need group.
03Rear-foot peak pressure was significantly delayed in the care-need group, and forefoot pressure during terminal stance showed a significant group difference with lower care-need values.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
Only 32 older Japanese females were studied, and the care-need group included only Care Levels 1-2, so results may not apply to men, other cultures, or higher care levels. The study was cross-sectional, so it cannot show that these gait or foot-pressure differences cause or predict progression from support-need to care-need. Many gait and pressure parameters were compared, and the supplied text does not name a single primary outcome, so some significant findings may reflect chance. Severe cognitive deficit, rapidly progressive disease, terminal disease, and severe hemiplegia were excluded, limiting generalisability to more impaired patients. Muscle strength and equilibrium function were not measured because participants needed assistance, so the paper cannot link pressure differences to strength or balance.
Declared interests
No specific funding; authors declared no conflicts.
The easy way to misread this
Do not use these foot-pressure or stance-phase differences as a validated way to predict care-level progression. The study was small, cross-sectional, and did not measure ADL outcomes or muscle strength.