Home

Customised foot orthoses (FOs) featuring extrinsic rearfoot posting are widely used for the treatment of symptomatic pronated foot type. Various FOs exist differing mainly with regard to their customisation to the individual patient. Previous research using surface electromyography (EMG) has found that FOs can affect muscle activity during gait. Likewise, plantar pressure distribution may be altered by the use and dose of FOs. But the specific dose response effect on these parameters has not yet been quantified.

The group of researchers Telfer et al. thus decided to test the dose response effect of customised FOs on EMG activity of selected lower limb muscles and on the distribution of in-shoe plantar pressure, and the effect of foot types on these variables. They measured EMG and plantar pressure effects of varying the dose in two groups of participants, with normal and pronated foot types respectively. novel’s pedar^® system was used for the in-shoe plantar pressure measurements. The outcomes of this study lead Telfer et al. to conclude that “there is a significant and linear dose response effect of FOs on plantar pressure variables at the rearfoot, midfoot and forefoot” (p. 6).  No such effect could be found for muscle activity.  Moreover, foot type appeared to play an important role in the effect of FOs on above-knee muscle activity.
 
Telfer, S; Abbott, M.; Steultjens, M.; Rafferty, D.; and J.Woodburn (2013)
Dose-response effects of customised foot orthoses on lower limb muscle activity and plantar pressures in pronated foot type.
Gait & Posture 38(3): 443-449