COMPARISON OF THE PEDAR SYSTEM WITH A FORCE PLATFORM SYSTEM FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF STATIC STABILITY

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: The maintenance of upright balance represents a major factor in human postural control in everyday life, sports and rehabilitation. In the last forty years the postural stability of athletes and patients has usually been measured using force platform systems (Nigg 1977). In-shoe plantar pressure soles can provide a more versatile method for both mobile and stationary aspects of motor assessment - posturography and gait analysis. The high accuracy and repeatability of the PEDAR insole system during static uniform pressure has been shown by Cavanagh (1992), McPoil (1995) and Rash (1997). The purpose of this study is to examine the relationships of postural sway data between a KISTLER force platform and the PEDAR in-shoe plantar pressure system for use in posturography.