title: Efficacy of a new pressure-sensitive alarm for clinical use in orthopaedics.
abstract: The current study evaluated a new pressure alarm and compared the ability of subjects to limit weightbearing to 20 lb with and without the alarm. The 28 subjects were divided into four groups (Group 1, n = 7, mean age, 33 years, with normal sensation; Group 2, n = 7, mean age, 59 years, with normal sensation; Group 3, n = 6, mean age, 56 years, without protective lower limb sensation, and Group 4, n = 8, mean age, 39 years, with transtibial amputation). All subjects were instructed in partial weightbearing ambulation and then practiced weight shifting onto a scale set at 20 lb for 2 minutes. Average peak force was measured using the F-scan in-shoe sensor while subjects ambulated in two trials: one with a deactivated pressure alarm and the other with an activated alarm. Data were analyzed using two-tailed t tests. In Groups 1, 2, and 4, significantly lower average peak force with the activated alarm versus deactivated alarm occurred in 43%, 86%, and 100% of subjects, respectively. Weightbearing was limited to less than 20 lb with the activated alarm in 86%, 57%, 33%, and 38% of subjects versus 71%, 14%, 0%, and 0% of subjects with the deactivated alarm, respectively.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, The Union Memorial Hospital, Baltimore, MD, USA. lyn.camire@medstar.net
authors.forename: Lew C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Schon
authors.forename: Kelly W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Short
authors.forename: Brent G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Parks
authors.forename: T Jay
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Kleeman
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mroczek
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005528:Foot / Q000294:innervation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000295:instrumentation*; D009985:Orthopedics; D011312:Pressure; D012678:Sensation Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012775:Shoes; D016474:Weight-Bearing