Summary
The capacity of heel inserts of different plastic and rubber materials to attenuate heel-strike forces was analysed. The heel-strike response was recorded by accelerometers fastened on to the skin. Thirteen rheumatoid patients with a knee arthroplasty and five healthy controls were tested. Inlay material of 6 mm thickness did not significantly reduce the tibial deceleration produced by heel-strike. However, shoes with heels of polyurethane plastic of 20 mm thickness significantly lowered the amplitude of the tibial response compared with rubber-heeled shoes. The possible implications of this for patients with degenerative joint diseases or with joint implants is discussed.
Résumé
Les auteurs ont étudié comment les différentes talonnettes, de plastique ou de caoutchouc, atténuent l'impact du talon au sol. Ils ont enregistré la réponse à cet impact au moyen d'accéléromètres fixés à la peau. Treize malades atteints de polyarthrite rhumatoïde et porteurs d'une prothèse du genou ont été testés, ainsi que cinq sujets sains. Les talonnettes internes de 6 mm d'épaisseur ne réduisent pas de façon significative la décélération tibiale produite par l'impact au sol. A l'inverse, les chaussures munies d'une talonnette de polyuréthane épaisse de 20 mm diminuent significativement l'amplitude de la réponse tibiale, comparativement aux talonnettes de caoutchouc. On discute les implications possibles de ces observations chez les malades présentant des affections articulaires dégénératives ou porteurs de prothèse articulaires.
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This study was financed by grants from: the Konsul Thure Carlsson's Memorial Foundation, Norrbacka-Eugeniastiftelsen, Stiftelsen för bistånd åt vanföra i Skåne, Helsingborg and Alfred Österlund's Foundation
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Rööser, B., Ekbladh, R. & Lidgren, L. The shock-absorbing effect of soles and insoles. International Orthopaedics 12, 335–338 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00317834
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00317834