Comparison of plantar peak pressure and time to peak pressure during normal walking between females with genu recurvatum and healthy controls

The aim of this study was to compare plantar peak pressure and time to peak pressure during normal walking between women with genu recurvatum (GR) and healthy subjects.
Material and 10 women with genu recurvatum and 11 healthy women participated in this study. The knee angle was measured by goniometer. Plantar pressure was measured using emed platform during barefoot walking. After dividing plantar area into 10 masks, peak pressure values and time to peak pressure were calculated. Repeated measure and MANOVA were used for statistical analysis. P Subjects with GR had significantly lower peak pressure values at the lateral heel (p=0.02), medial heel (p=0.04) and midfoot (p=0.02) masks of the right foot; and also at the lateral midfoot (p=0.02) and 3rd 4th and 5th toes (p=0.04) masks of the left foot, compared to the healthy women. Also, we found higher values for time to peak pressure at the masks of the lateral heel (p=0.0001), medial heel (p=0.0001) and midfoot (p=0.01) of the right foot and at the masks of medial (0=0.03) and lateral heel (p=0.03) of the left foot in the subjects with GR, compared to healthy women.
GR abnormality can change peak plantar pressure during walking by changing the alignment of ground reaction force. These changes may affect the function of the lower limb muscles and alter the gait pattern. So, assessment of plantar pressure distribution is recommended for planning and evaluation of the effectiveness of rehabilitation programs in the patients with GR.