RELIABILITIES OF PLANTAR PRESSURE MEASURES: SYMMETRY INDICES DURING RUNNING AT TWO DIFFERENT VELOCITIES

Abstract

Reliabilities (REL) of 4 plantar pressure parameters (PPP) and 4 symmetry indices (SI) were assessed during the support phase of treadmill running at 8 and 14 km*hr-1. Bilateral plantar pressure was recorded for 11 female and 9 male students with Pedar insoles during 4 right and 4 left foot contacts at each velocity. The RELs of 4 PPP (total peak force and peak pressures under the hallux, forefoot & heel) and their symmetery indices (Sis) were estimated by intraclass correlations (ICC). The ICCs for the PPP were in the range of 0.75-0.99 for 1 contact and 0.92-0.99 for 4 contacts. ICCs of the SIs were substantially lower than for PPP (0.41-0.85 for 1 contact and 0.74-0.96 for 4 contacts). ICCs at the heel were lower than at all other areas. A single measure of PPP provides high REL for all areas studied, except at the heel. A larger sample of foot contacts is necessary in order to ascertain highly reliable SIs