Foot load in diabetic patients with minor amputation

Introduction: High plantar pressures and foot deformities are causes of ulcerative injury. Minor amputations may be consequences of neuropathy, arterial disease and infection in patients complicated. Orthotic treatment plays a crucial role in preventing recurrence. Purpose: To evaluate foot load in patients with previous minor amputation. Materials and methods: Ten patients with previous minor amputation were evaluated for the study. We performed a foot load assessment with the Pedar (Novel) system and recorded an average of 12 consecutive steps with inert footwear (Terapes type) and with prescribed footwear. The parameters of interest were pressure peak (PP), force peak (PF), contact area (A) and mean pressure (PM) in the metatarsal area in the propulsion phase. Results: The evaluation of foot load showed a statistical difference (p=0.02) only in the peak pressure at metatarsal level between the amputee foot (307±63.3 N/cm2) and the contralateral foot (242±77 N/cm2). Evaluation of PP with footwear revealed no statistical significance. Discussion: The study showed high pressure peaks at the metatarsal level during the evaluation with inert footwear, while there was no significance in the modality with footwear and insoles, confirming the importance of the role of orthotic treatment in this class of patients.