Diabetic Sensory Neuropathy and Plantar Pressure Changes

Khalel, Mayada; Kandil, Ismail; Motawea, Mohamad Mohsen

doi:10.21608/bmfj.2023.167785.1684

Diabetic Sensory Neuropathy and Plantar Pressure Changes

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Lecturer of internal Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Egypt

² Lecturer of geriatric medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Egypt

³ Associate professor of diabetes &amp; endocrinology, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Egypt

10.21608/bmfj.2023.167785.1684

Abstract

Background: Diabetic neuropathy usually leads to changes in foot structure and gait cycle pattern. Diabetic patients with elevated foot pressures get foot ulcers more than without. This work aims to study the impact of diabetic sensory neuropathy on plantar pressure changes which could help in predicting the site of future ulceration. Subjects and methods: A case control study including 88 participants; 73 diabetics subdivided into with and without sensory neuropathy and 15 age and sex matched healthy controls. Pressure time integral (PTI), and peak pressure (PP) were measured separately for each foot at different foot sites. Six steps of normal gait were done, and calculation was taken on the average. Results. PP was significantly higher in neuropathic versus diabetic and control groups in the right foot at toe1, (P=0.008), toe2, (P=0.048) and toe3, (P=0.019), all other areas of the right foot apart from toes4, 5 although were higher in the neuropathic group versus diabetic group but statistically were not significant. In the left foot PP was significantly higher in neuropathic versus diabetic and control groups at lateral-heel (P=0.044), midfoot (P=0.037), and at toe1 (P=0.005), all other areas of the left foot although were higher in the neuropathic group versus diabetic and control groups but statistically were not significant Conclusion. plantar pressure distribution was different in neuropathic patients in comparison to diabetic patients without neuropathy and controls which signifies the necessity of plantar pressure and neuropathy assessment in predicting the sites of future ulceration and guiding the management of care.

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