ABSTRACT
The reaction forces exerted on the plantar surface of the foot can be resolved into vertical, anterior-posterior (A-P), and medial-lateral (M-L) components. Knowledge of these forces and the corresponding pressure distributions has both research and clinical applications. For example, plantar pressure measurements are incorporated into kinetic foot models. Existing commercial pressure mats measure vertical plantar pressure, and this information is used to determine the contribution of each foot segment to the total vertical ground reaction force. Because there is no device that measures the shear pressure distribution, assumptions are necessary to complete kinetic foot models, and shear loads are often distributed on the basis of the segmental contribution to the vertical ground reaction force.
