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High Plantar Pressure and Callus in Diabetic Adolescents

Incidence and Treatment

Anthony C. Duffin, PhD^*,, Robert Kidd, PhD^*, Albert Chan, MAppStat and Kim C. Donaghue, PhD^,

^* University of Western Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
The Children’s Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Corresponding author: Anthony C. Duffin, PhD, 29/6-8 Hannah St, Beecroft 2119, New South Wales, Australia.

Abstract

This study examined the incidence of high peak plantar pressure and plantar callus in 211 adolescents with diabetes mellitus and 57 nondiabetic controls. The percentage of subjects with these anomalies was the same in both groups. Although diabetic subjects were no more likely than nondiabetic controls to have high peak plantar pressure and callus, these anomalies place individuals with diabetes at greater risk of future foot problems. The effects of orthoses, cushioning, and both in combination were monitored in 17 diabetic subjects with high peak plantar pressure and in 17 diabetic subjects with plantar callus; reductions of up to 63% were achieved. Twelve-month follow-up of diabetic subjects fitted with orthoses showed a significant reduction in peak plantar pressure even when the orthoses were removed. The diabetic subjects who had not received any interventions during the same 12-month period showed no significant change in peak plantar pressure. (J Am Podiatr Med Assoc 93(3): 214-220, 2003)