Objective:

Background:

Peripheral neuropathy (PN) impairs nerve function and can arise from various causes, including diabetes, idiopathic origins, and trauma. This nerve damage, particularly in the lower extremities, results in loss of sensation and abnormal gait patterns. More than 20 million Americans, especially those over 45, suffer from PN, while globally, patients and healthcare authorities are facing the chronic adversities associated with PN. It negatively impacts the quality of life, patient care, and the healthcare system. This project aims to improve patient gait by providing auditory feedback through pressure-sensing insoles, helping patients overcome the sensory loss caused by neuropathy.

Design/Methods:

This pilot study involved three patients with varying levels of PN (mild to advanced), aged 60-80, participated. Motion-brand pressure-sensing insoles and custom software detecting gait patterns were employed, establishing a baseline using a healthy control subject. The aim was to identify standard stance phase gait pattern, consisting of heel strike, full foot loading, heel lift, and toe off. Statistical analysis was conducted using ANOVA.

Results:

ANOVA revealed a statistically significant improvement in forefoot pressure during the initial contact phase post-intervention, with reduced pressure on the forefoot during heel strike (P-value: 0.0018). Heel pressure also demonstrated slight improvement (P-value: 0.05).

Conclusions:

This pilot study suggested auditory feedback through pressure-sensing insoles benefits patients with peripheral neuropathy improving some aspects of their gait. Significant reductions in forefoot pressure were observed, though heel pressure improvement remained modest. These results have led to larger sample size studies.