Objective: To evaluate significant differences in heel pad stiffness within a cohort of runners with diagnosed planter heel pain and to explore the clinical importance of maximum heel pad stillness values.
Design: A cross-sectional design was used to quantify tile heel pad stiffness of 166 runners with 33 diagnosed with planter heel pain.
Background: Palpation is still widely used to evaluate heel pad stiffness subjectively in everyday clinical practice. However. there is limited quantifiable data pertaining to heel pad stiffness measurements in runners and those with heel pain.
Methods: A portable hand-held device measured force applied by a metal probe, and its displacement into the planter surface of the heel pad. Non-linear modelling allowed curve coefficients bo and b1 to be evaluated and was described by an exponential function using a non-linear regression equation. Exploratory analysis was used to describe a single-point approximation for clinical use.
Results: An independent t-test demonstrated a statistically significant difference between the curve coefficient by (p < 0.05). No significant difference was found for coefficient bo between the planter heel pain group and the non-planter heel pain group p > 0.05). Exploratory analysis demonstrated maximum mean stiffness of 3.22 N/mm for the non-planter heel pain group and 2.87 N/mm for the planter heel pain-group, an 11% mean difference.
Conclusion: The results suggested that heel pad stiffness may be associated with planter heel pain subjects.
Rome K, Webb P, Unsworth A, Haslock I. Heel pad stiffness in runners with plantar heel pain. Clin Biomechanics 2001; 16: 901-905.
Paul Webb, North Tees Unit, Stockton-on-Tees. Tel: +44 (0)1642-624-860.
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