• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.25-35
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• 2013

This study examined 24 right-handed amateur baseball players. Twelve who had played baseball for more than 6 years were grouped as skilled players, while 12 who had played for 1-3 years were the unskilled player group. The swing motion was divided into four event phases: stance, backswing, impact, and follow-through. The mean and maximum plantar pressure, center of pressure, and ground reaction force were measured during each event phase. The mean and standard deviations for each variables were calculated and differences were validated with the independent sample t-test. A p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. The results were as follows. 1)The ideal stance is a stable, balanced position with more than 65% of weight on the right foot. There was significant difference in mean left plantar pressure, while the maximal plantar pressure and mean right plantar pressure did not differ significant. 2)The effective backswing of a skilled player is comprised a rightward shift in weight to build maximum energy. More than 90% of the weight was on the right foot. There was a significant difference in the mean left plantar pressure, while the maximal plantar pressure and mean right plantar pressure did not differ significantly. 3) For an effective impact, a rapid shift in weight to the left foot is essential, so that a power hit is obtained. Significant difference in the mean and maximum plantar pressures of both feet were observed. 4)Follow-through requires wight balance, more on the right than the left, without leaning leftward. There was no significant difference in the mean or maximum plantar pressure. 5)The center of plantar pressure should move from the center of the foot to the toe. 6)The analyses of the ground reaction force suggest that a good swing involves a gradual shift in weight to the right side and a rapid leftward shift at impact. Good balance, with the center of gravity on the right side at follow-through, is also required.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.479-486
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• 2011

This study determined the effects of the height and the quality of the material of popular heel-up insole on mean plantar foot pressure during walking. Seven healthy college students who are studying at S university in Busan were as participants in this study. After sufficiently explaining about the research to the subjects before the experiment, mean plantar foot pressures were examined using F-Scan Pressure Measure System 5.23 for the gait with shoes inserted insole and the data were compared among the height and the quality of material of insoles. In the result, there was a difference significantly in the mean plantar foot pressure followed the height of insoles both left and right. Especially, mean plantar foot pressure in left indicated significantly lower in 3 cm and 5 cm insoles than in 0 cm and 1 cm insoles. Also mean plantar foot pressure in right showed significantly lower in 3 cm and 5 cm insoles than in 0 cm, and indicated significantly lower in 5 cm insoles than in 1 cm and 3 cm insoles. The mean plantar foot pressure followed the quality of the material of insoles were different significantly. In left, the mean plantar foot pressure of urethane poly-acetyl insole was lower significantly than urethane poly-acetyl inserted air insole, power-gel insole and jelly insole. And the mean plantar foot pressure of urethane poly-acetyl insole was lower significantly than power-gel insole and jelly insole in right. We showed that 3 cm and 5 cm insoles in the height of insoles and Urethane poly-acetyl insole in the quality of material were suitable to reduce a fatigue which is felt in plantar foot during the walking.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.63-68
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• 2002

Foot ulceration results in substantial morbidity in patients with peripheral neuropathy. The purpose of this study was to find the relationship of plantar foot pressures during walking to plantar ulceration in patients with Hansen's disease. The subjects were recuruited from two Welfare Clinic for Hansen's disease in Wonju and Uiwang city. Ten subjects (5 females, 5 males) with plantar ulceration and a mean age of 63 years were evaluated in this study. The mean duration of Hansen's disease in these subjects was 30 years. Plantar pressures were measured during self-selected comfortable walking speed by using MatScan system. Three subjects had plantar ulceration under the first metatarsal head. Five subjects had plantar ulceration under the second and third metatarsal head. Two subjects had plantar ulcers under the fifth metatarsal head. Eight of 10 subjects had plantar ulceration at highest pressure point that measured during walking. This result suggests that the abnormal high plantar pressure could be related factor to plantar ulceration in patients with Hansen's disease. Also the foot pressure measurement may be useful to evaluate the risk of plantar ulceration in patients with Hansen's disease.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.475-482
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• 2015

Objective : The purpose of this study was to investigate mean plantar foot pressure, maximum plantar pressure and ground reaction force, and center migration path of pressure according to the type of trekking shoes for the development of shoes. Method : Subjects of the study averaged $22.10{\pm}2.05years$ of age. Their average height was $169.27{\pm}7.62cm$ and their average weight was $64.34{\pm}10.22kg$. The method of this study was administered measuring 50 steps, at once, 3 times at a speed of 4 km/h and using the data of 30 steps. Pedar-X system measured the mean foot pressure, maximum foot pressure, mean maximum force, and center migration path of pressure by subjects' position while walking. Statistical analysis was performed by SPSS 23.0 using a paired t-test. Results : Results of the study showed Nestfit trekking shoes lower foot pressure of both feet in mean foot pressure and maximum foot pressure. Nestfit trekking shoes showed high ground reaction force (p<.001) in the midfoot, and low mean ground reaction force in the rearfoot. The center migration path of pressure showed the Nestfit trekking shoes were more stable than flat insole trekking shoes. Conclusion : It can be concluded that wearing Nestfit trekking shoes spreads pressure efficiently and induces walking stability because Nestfit trekking shoes spread the pressure of the forefoot and rearfoot to the midfoot and the center migration path of pressure shows regularly.

• KSII Transactions on Internet and Information Systems (TIIS)
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• v.15 no.11
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• pp.3875-3891
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• 2021

In this study, a Velostat pressure sensor was manufactured to develop a plantar pressure measurement system and a C#-based application was developed to monitor and collect plantar pressure data in real time. In order to evaluate the characteristics of the proposed plantar pressure measurement system, the accuracy of plantar pressure index and personal classification was verified by comparing with MatScan, a commercial plantar pressure measurement system. As a result, the output characteristics according to the weight of the Velostat pressure sensor were evaluated and a trend line with the reliability of r² = 0.98 was detected. The Root Mean Square Error(RMSE) of the weighted area was 11.315 cm², the RMSE of the x coordinate of Center of Pressure(CoP_x) was 1.036 cm and the RMSE of the y coordinate of Center of Pressure(CoP_y) was 0.936 cm. Finally, inaccuracy of personal classification, the proposed system was 99.47% and MatScan was 96.86%. Based on the advantage of being simple to implement and capable of manufacturing at low cost, it is considered that it can be applied to various fields of measuring vital signs such as sitting posture and breathing in addition to the plantar pressure measurement system.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.183-191
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• 2012

The objective of this study was to evaluate the plantar foot pressure of skilled and unskilled players during a free throw. The experiment performed here in measured the movement route of the mean foot pressure, maximum foot pressure, and center of pressure in four event zones (ready, maximum knee flexion, release event, and maximum knee extension) for both groups while they were wearing the plantar foot pressure measurement equipment under identical conditions. The major findings are as follows. When getting ready (RD) during a free throw, the skilled player group had higher mean and maximum foot pressures, although neither variable showed significant differences statistically. For the maximum knee flexion (MF) during a free throw, the skilled player group had higher mean and maximum foot pressures, but only the mean foot pressure significantly differed statistically. For the release event (RE) during a free throw, the unskilled player group had higher mean and maximum foot pressures, but only the mean foot pressure significantly differed statistically. During the maximum knee extension (ME) of a free throw, the unskilled player group had a higher mean foot pressure, and the skilled player group had a higher maximum foot pressure. No significant correlation was found between the two groups. For the skilled player group, movement towards the center of pressure showed a stable form that moved from the rear to the front and from side to side during a free throw. For the unskilled player group, movement towards the center of pressure was unstable, which made it impossible to move from the rear to the front and from left to right.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.113-121
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of forefoot rocker shoes equipped with a metatarsal bar on lower extremity muscle activity and plantar pressure distribution. Ten healthy women in the age of twenties were participated in this study as the subjects. All subjects walked on a treadmill(Gait Trainer, BIODEX, USA) wearing normal shoes and metatarsal bar shoes, during which the plantar pressure distribution and muscle activity were measured. Using Pedar-X system(Novel Gmbh, Germany), the plantar pressure was measured for six regions of the foot: forefoot, midfoot, rearfoot, 1st metatarsal, 2-3th metatarsal, and 4-5th metatarsal, and for each sub-region, 4 features such as maximum force, contact area, peak pressure, and mean pressure were analyzed based on the plantar pressure. EMG(Electromyography) activity was measured by attaching surface electrodes to the rectus femoris, biceps femoris, tibialis anterior, and gastrocnemius medial head, and magnitude of muscle contraction was analyzed in IEMG(Integrated EMG) value. The results show that the maximum force, contact area, peak pressure, and mean pressure in the midfoot all increased while maximum force, peak pressure, contact area, mean pressure in the 1st metatarsal and 2-3th metatarsal all decreased when wearing functional shoes. Also, muscle activities in the four muscles were all decreased when wearing the functional shoes. This paper suggests that forfoot rocker shoes equipped with a metatarsal bar can help disperse the high pressure and absorb the shock to the foot as well as give positive influence on gait pattern and postural stability by reducing muscle fatigue during walking.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.191-200
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• 2007

The purpose of this study was to analyze the foot-pressure distribution of trekking boots for assessing their functionality. Subjects participated in this study included 10 university male students who had no injury experience in lower limbs and a normal gait pattern. The size of all subjects was 270mm. Five models of trekking boots, most popular in Korea (A, B, C, D & E company), were selected for the test. Using the PEDAR-X system and PEDAR-X insoles, 5 different walking stages were analyzed for the foot-pressure distribution: (a) straight gait; (b) $45^{\circ}$ turn gait; (c) $25^{\circ}$ uphill gait; and (d) $25^{\circ}$ downhill gait. Results of the foot-pressure distribution and functionality on each stage were as follow; 1. Straight gait - In case of Max ground reaction force, mean plantar pressure and Max plantar pressure, there was not a distinct tendency; however, products manufactured by E and A company showed relatively lower pressure distribution. 2. $45^{\circ}$ turn gait - In Max ground reaction force, mean plantar pressure and Max plantar pressure, there wasn't a distinct tendency; however, products manufactured by E and A company showed relatively lower pressure distribution. Results also revealed that the products manufactured by E and A company were superior to those by other companies in terms of functionality. 3. $25^{\circ}$ uphill gait - In Max ground reaction force, mean plantar pressure and Max plantar pressure, there wasn't a distinct tendency; however, products manufactured by E and C company showed relatively lower pressure distribution. Results also revealed that the products manufactured by E and C company were superior to those by other companies in terms of functionality. 4. $25^{\circ}$ downhill gait - In Max ground reaction force, Mean plantar pressure and Max plantar pressure, there wasn't a distinct tendency; however, products manufactured by E company showed relatively lower pressure distribution. Results also revealed that the products manufactured by E company were superior to those by other companies in terms of functionality. Overall, five pairs of trekking shoes selected in this study showed the excellent performance in several conditions. The findings above may provide us with the important criteria for choosing trekking boots.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.29-37
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• 2004

Measurements of plantar pressure provide an indication of foot and ankle function during gait and other functional activities because the foot and ankle provide necessary support and flexibility for weight bearing and weight shifting while people are performing these activities. Plantar pressure is being increasingly used in both research and clinical practice to measure the effects of various footwear and physical therapy intervention. The influence of walking speed and ground inclination on plantar pressure parameters However has not been evaluated in detail. So, in this study to determine the effect of changes in walking speed and ground inclination on plantar pressure treadmills with different walking speeds and inclination were used. Plantar pressure parameters were measured with the Parotec system using the walking and running in 20 healthy participants(10 male, 10 female) aged $20{\sim}28$(mean 22.22, S.D.2.26 years) when slow walking and running. The result of this study with increased die walking speed, the peak pressure of 1st, 5th metatarsal head and total contact time and impulse total at the forefoot was affected by walking speed; however, die peak pressure, contact time and impulse total at the forefoot was not affected by ground inclination.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.45-54
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• 2018

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of foot strengthening exercise program and functional insoles on joint angle and plantar pressure in elderly women. Thirteen elderly women who were enrolled in a university senior citizens academy of a metropolitan city in 2017 were divided into two groups: exercise group with functional insole (n=7) and exercise group without functional insole (n=6). Method: Three-dimensional motion analysis and Pedar-X were performed to compute the joint angle and the foot plantar pressure, respectively. Two-way repeated measure ANOVA was conducted to compare dependent variables within and between groups. The significance level was set at ${\alpha}=.05$. Results: The range of motion (ROM) of the ankle, knee, and hip joints in the exercise group with functional insole increased significantly more than the exercise group without functional insole. In both the experimental group and the comparison group, the maximum foot plantar pressure and the mean foot plantar pressure were decreased, but the comparison group without functional insole showed more decrease. Since the experimental group demonstrated greater pressure than the comparison group in the contact area (forefoot, midfoot), it was distributed over a greater area. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that participation in foot strengthening exercises and using a functional insole has more positive effects than foot strengthening exercises alone on the joint angle and plantar pressure in elderly women. Increased foot plantar pressure led to an increased contact area (forefoot, midfoot) for distribution of the foot plantar pressure, but the effect of reducing the maximum and average plantar pressures was incomplete. However, wearing functional insoles along with exercise, could help in improving the stability of the joints, by increasing the range of motion, and could help the elderly in movement of the muscles more effectively, leading to an improvement in gait function.