Effect of rocker soles on plantar pressures11No commercial party having a direct financial interest in the results of the research supporting this article has or will confer a benefit upon the author(s) or upon any organization with which the author(s) is/are associated.

Abstract

Brown D, Wertsch JJ, Harris GF, Klein J, Janisse D. Effect of rocker soles on plantar pressures. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2004;85:81-6. OBJECTIVE To examine the effect of different types of rocker soles on plantar pressures. DESIGN In-shoe plantar pressures were measured in subjects without deformity with baseline shoes and 3 types of rockers: toe-only, negative heel, and double. SETTING Medical college. PARTICIPANTS Forty healthy patients (20 men, 20 women) without foot deformity. INTERVENTIONS Plantar pressures were recorded over a 212-hour test period with over 400 steps analyzed for each type of rocker sole. Peak pressures, pressure-time integral (PTI), and sensor contact duration were computed for each step MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Peak plantar pressure PTI, and contact duration were compared for each rocker with a baseline shoe. RESULTS Significant reduction (P