Kinematics and baropodometry of half-shoe versus full-outsole design for forefoot offloading in normal and pathological feet

The use of specific orthopaedic shoes is often recommended for foot conservative treatments and after surgery. Patients are required to wear forefoot offloading shoes (FOS) to protect and unload the injured part of the foot. The effectiveness of the half-shoe desing in reducing forefoot pressure has been demostrated by several studies. However, there are concerns that the peculiar design of the outsole may cause patients' discomfort, gait instability and inefficiency. In order to find a good compromise between gait performance and forefoot plantar pressure relief, orginal shoe designs have recently entered into the market. The purpose of this study was to use baropodometry and detailed lower limb gait analysis to compare two post-operative FOS: a novel full-outsole FOS and a traditional half-shoe design.