<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">The majority of reported injuries among military populations are injuries due to cumulative repetitive microtrauma — overuse injuries. Plantar pressure measurement is a simple tool to analyse lower limb biomechanics through the assessment of forces applied to the foot. This study aimed to determine the relation between peak plantar pressure and lower extremity overuse. Sixty-six active-duty infantry male soldiers, with mean age 29.7 years (range 22–40 years), and mean service time 5.2 years (range 1–15 years) participated. The highest peak plantar pressure (PPP) at the forefoot occurred at the hallux (cases: 50.82 n/cm2, SD = 38.84; control: 34.39 n/cm2, SD= 28.03) and 3rd metatarsal head (cases: 54.40 n/cm2, SD = 33.83; control: 49.16 n/cm2, SD=28.87). The study demonstrated elevated PPP among cases. Statistically significant results were found at the hallux (χ2(1) = 6.8; p = 0.01), medial heel (χ2(1) = 5.18; p = 0.02) and lateral heel (χ2(1) = 12.12; p &lt; 0.01) regions. The results show that plantar pressure assessment could be used as a useful screening tool for early lower extremity overuse injury detection.</abstract>

The majority of reported injuries among military populations are injuries due to cumulative repetitive microtrauma — overuse injuries. Plantar pressure measurement is a simple tool to analyse lower limb biomechanics through the assessment of forces applied to the foot. This study aimed to determine the relation between peak plantar pressure and lower extremity overuse. Sixty-six active-duty infantry male soldiers, with mean age 29.7 years (range 22–40 years), and mean service time 5.2 years (range 1–15 years) participated. The highest peak plantar pressure (PPP) at the forefoot occurred at the hallux (cases: 50.82 n/cm2, SD = 38.84; control: 34.39 n/cm2, SD= 28.03) and 3rd metatarsal head (cases: 54.40 n/cm2, SD = 33.83; control: 49.16 n/cm2, SD=28.87). The study demonstrated elevated PPP among cases. Statistically significant results were found at the hallux (χ2(1) = 6.8; p = 0.01), medial heel (χ2(1) = 5.18; p = 0.02) and lateral heel (χ2(1) = 12.12; p < 0.01) regions. The results show that plantar pressure assessment could be used as a useful screening tool for early lower extremity overuse injury detection.

Peak Plantar Pressure as a Risk Factor for Lower Extremity Overuse Injury Among Infantry Soldiers

Proceedings of the Latvian Academy of Sciences. Section B. Natural, Exact, and Applied Sciences.

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The majority of reported injuries among military populations are injuries due to cumulative repetitive microtrauma — overuse injuries. Plantar pressure...

Peak Plantar Pressure as a Risk Factor for Lower Extremity Overuse Injury Among Infantry Soldiers

Published Online: Mar 01, 2021

Page range: 52 - 57

Received: Jul 21, 2020

Accepted: Nov 13, 2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/prolas-2021-0009

Keywords
military personnel, cumulative trauma disorder, baropodometry

© 2021 Darja Ņesteroviča et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Peak Plantar Pressure as a Risk Factor for Lower Extremity Overuse Injury Among Infantry Soldiers

Published Online: Mar 01, 2021

Page range: 52 - 57

Received: Jul 21, 2020

Accepted: Nov 13, 2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/prolas-2021-0009

Keywordsmilitary personnel, cumulative trauma disorder, baropodometry

© 2021 Darja Ņesteroviča et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Keywords
military personnel, cumulative trauma disorder, baropodometry