PURPOSE: The main purpose of this research was to analyse the distribution of plantar pressures and foot characteristics during walking between weeks 27 and 36 of pregnancy. The secondary purpose was to test the effect of the customized orthopaedic shoes that were worn by the experimental group. METHODS: Pregnant women (n = 73) were divided into 2 groups, control group (n = 38) and experimental group (n = 35) which completed 5 gait trials on a walkway (1.55m) at a self-selected velocity of gait, where force, pressure and remaining foot characteristics were sampled and displayed by Novel database pro m (version 25.3.24). RESULTS: Analysis of foot characteristics did not reveal important changes. Analysis of the distribution of plantar pressures revealed few changes in the pre- and post-measurement of the experimental and control groups between weeks 27 and 36 of pregnancy. In the last measurement, there is a significant increase of peak pressure only in the midfoot area of the left foot (151.1 ± 41.2 kPa) and in the hindfoot area of the right foot (346.3 ± 104.1) of the experimental group. The control group exhibits similar pressure development for both of foot. CONCLUSIONS: Monitored parameters demonstrated in certain areas notably development of force and contact area. Results of foot characteristics did not reveal a significant changes. As both groups registered similar values in certain areas in a comparison of pre/post measurement characteristics, the influence of specific orthopaedic shoes cannot be conclusively demonstrated in the experimental group.

Faculty of Sports Studies Masaryk University Brno Czech Republic