Diabetic patients, especially those with peripheral neuropathy, can have an abnormal gait, causing high plantar pressure in specific areas. This can further lead to complications like diabetic foot ulcers . Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science, Karnataka, have developed a prototype of therapeutic footwear with arches (figure 1) that can self-regulate and evenly redistribute the pressure while walking. In addition, the footwear can be customized to suit an individual’s weight, foot size, walking speed, and pressure distribution. This can help calculate the maximum force that has to be off-loaded.
Figure 1 . Self-offloading insole with the arches. Benefits Self-offloading: The arches snap into an inverted shape when they encounter too much pressure. When the pressure is removed, the arches automatically regain their initial position. Dynamic self-offloading Mechanical operation…
