Diabetic foot prevention: Repeatability of platform stabilometric parameters in bipedal standing for future home monitoring applications in diabetic patients

This study was designed to assess the repeatability of the LorAn Platform, and evaluate the variability of plantar pressure and postural balance, during barefoot standing in diabetic and non-diabetic subjects, for future diabetic foot clinical evaluation. Measurements were taken from 14 subjects (8 females, 6 males, 8 non-diabetics and 6 diabetics, age range 30-70 years) who had no musculoskeletal symptoms. Four variables were measured with the platform in barefoot standing position. Ten measurements were taken using two different techniques for feet and posture positioning, during three sessions, once a week. The MANOVA analysis (Multivariate Analysis of Variance) confirmed that the platform registers are reproducible for the Anterior-Posterior Load Distribution, the Average Pressure and the Body Baricenter variables, with both techniques. In the future, new measurements will guarantee reproducibility for the lateral load distribution and the foot baricenter variables, and implement home monitoring applications of plantar pressure distribution for diabetic patients.