Regionalised centre of pressure analysis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
BACKGROUND
Rheumatoid arthritis patients alter their gait pattern to compensate for painful foot symptoms. The centre of pressure may be a useful indicator of these altered loading patterns. Our purpose was to undertake a comparison of the regionalised duration and velocity of the centre of pressure between rheumatoid arthritis patients with foot impairments and healthy able-bodied adults.


METHODS
The progression of the centre of pressure through the foot, heel, midfoot, forefoot and toe regions was measured using an EMED-ST pressure platform. Patients walked at self selected cadence. Variables analysed were the average and maximum velocity and the duration of the centre of pressure (as % stance).


RESULTS
In comparison with able-bodied adults, rheumatoid arthritis patients had a statistically significant decrease in the average velocity of the centre of pressure in the total foot (P<0.001), heel (P=0.001) and midfoot (P<0.001) regions. The maximum velocity of the centre of pressure was slower in rheumatoid arthritis patients in only the midfoot region (P=0.002). During stance, the duration of the centre of pressure was longer in the midfoot (P<0.001) and shorter in the forefoot (P=0.001) in the rheumatoid arthritis patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Alteration of the foot loading patterns in patients with rheumatoid arthritis can be characterised by changes to the centre of pressure patterns. Off-loading the painful and deformed forefoot was a characteristic feature in this patient cohort.
Semple
Ruth
R
Division of Podiatric Medicine and Surgery, School of Health and Social Care, Glasgow Caledonian University, Cowcaddens Road, Glasgow G4 0BA, United Kingdom.
Turner
Deborah E
DE
Helliwell
Philip S
PS
Woodburn
James
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005528:Foot; D005545:Forefoot, Human; D005684:Gait; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology; D011312:Pressure; D016138:Walking