Three-dimensional plantar force measurement for the patients with adult acquired flat foot

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K23599
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0403:Biomedical engineering and related fields
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Tanaka Shinya 東京大学, 医学部附属病院, 届出研究員 (10845861)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-08-30 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 成人期扁平足 / 後脛骨筋腱機能不全症 / 歩行

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Adult acquired flatfoot (AAFD) is a disease with a symptom of foot pain and foot deformity, which was mainly caused by the degeneration of posterior tibialis tendon. Since the deformity was emerged during walking and standing, the quantification was difficult. In the present study, we developed the portable insole-shaped sensor which could measure the 3 dimensional plantar forces during walk. The high or moderate reproducibility of the measurements was revealed in the gait analysis of the healthy volunteers. The measurements in patients with AAFD were performed, and the backward force on the heel sensor right after heel strike tended to be higher than that of healthy volunteers.

Free Research Field

整形外科

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

成人期扁平足は、中年以降に発症し、足部痛を伴う扁平足変形をきたす疾患であるが、症状や変形を定量的に評価する手法はなかった。
本研究では、成人期扁平足の評価デバイスとして、歩行中に足底にかかる３次元方向の力を測定できる靴型デバイスを開発した。計測値の再現性が得られるかを検証した後、成人期扁平足患者における計測も行った。土踏まず部での圧力が上昇する傾向にあり、この測定値をもちいると、歩行中の変形を評価できる可能性がある。