The Analysis of Gait and Plantar Pressure Parameters for People with Stroke using Smart Insole System

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the characteristics of gait in people with stroke using smart insole equipment.BRBackground: People with stroke have pathological gait due to extensive neurological deficits. Hemiplegic gait is the most common symptom and is characterized by abnormal trunk movements and asymmetrical gait, such as dragging. Accurate gait evaluation is very important for diagnosing and managing patients with pathological gait. There is increasing interest in assessing gait in everyday life rather than laboratory environments. A typical example is smart insole equipment.BRMethod: A gait evaluation was conducted using smart insole equipment for 42 people with stroke. The temporal gait and plantar pressure parameters were obtained to confirm the difference between the affected and unaffected sides when gait.BRResults: In gait parameters, the unaffected side showed a high ratio of the stance phase and single support, and the affected side showed a high ratio of the swing phase. In plantar pressure, both peak pressure and mean pressure were the smallest in the toe area, and the medial area showed the highest. The difference between the affected and unaffected sides was the largest in the medial area.BRConclusion: This study successfully confirmed the asymmetric gait characteristics of people with stroke using smart insole equipment. The findings of this research have significant implications for the development of more effective rehabilitation exercise programs and strategies for promoting symmetrical walking in people with stroke. BRApplication: The results of this study can be used as objective data for the development of rehabilitation exercise programs and contents for symmetrical walking of people with stroke.