Modern life is fast-paced. Walking, running, and standing for a long time are almost actions that everyone has to experience every day. But do you know that the force distribution on the sole of the foot actually hides many “codes” for health? A seemingly ordinary board – the plantar pressure board, is gradually entering rehabilitation institutions, sports centers, and even home scenes for children’s foot assessment.
So, how does the plantar pressure board work? What can it tell us? Can ordinary people use it? Today, let’s take you to unveil its “mystery”.
1. What is a plantar pressure board?
The plantar pressure board, professionally called “plantar pressure analysis system”, is an instrument used to measure the force distribution on the sole of the foot when the human body stands or walks.
Its appearance is usually a thin plate covered with hundreds of pressure sensors. When a person stands on it or walks over it, the sensor will record the pressure size, duration, force trajectory and other information of each contact point on the sole of the foot, and display it in the form of an image or heat map.
In other words: it can record the details of every step you “step on” and analyze where you use too much force and where you don’t bear enough.
2. Detection principle: small sensor, large amount of data
The core of the plantar pressure plate is a high-density pressure sensor array. These sensors can sense the pressure of every point of your sole touching the ground in real time and convert it into a digital signal.
When you stand on the pressure plate or walk over it, the system will capture the following information:
Pressure distribution in each area of the sole
Gait center of gravity movement trajectory
Balance and coordination of both feet
Dynamic parameters such as step frequency, step length, and pace
Difference in force on the left and right feet
Finally, a detailed plantar force analysis report is formed, which is a bit like a “CT scan of your walking”, which is very intuitive.
3. What are the practical applications?
Don’t think that this is only used by high-end athletes. In fact, many ordinary families, children, and office workers can benefit from it. The main applications include:
1. Children’s foot development monitoring
Detect whether children have problems such as flat feet, foot valgus, and gait abnormalities, and provide data support for early correction.
2. Early warning of chronic plantar diseases in adults
For example, plantar fasciitis, hallux valgus, knee wear, etc. caused by standing for a long time are often the result of unbalanced force on the plantar.
3. Sports training and rehabilitation
Evaluating running posture, jumping landing force, and sports injury recovery is an important tool for professional athletes and rehabilitation patients.
4. Customized insoles and functional shoes
The results of plantar pressure analysis can provide accurate reference for personalized insoles, so that correction, shock absorption, and support are more in line with the actual situation of the foot.
5. Gait health management for middle-aged and elderly people
Monitor whether there is unstable walking, unilateral weight bearing, fall risk, etc., to provide a basis for gait intervention for the elderly.
4. Is it suitable for you?
If you have any of the following conditions, you may want to consider a plantar pressure test:
Children always walk with their feet turned outward or inward
Shoes are easily worn unevenly and feet feel sore when walking
Frequent heel or foot pain
Family history of hallux valgus or foot deformity
Planning to customize insoles or functional shoes, but don’t know how to choose
Plare pressure plates do not provide “treatment”, but the data they provide can help you make the right correction, training, and prevention choices.
