Characteristics of Plantar Pressure During Walking in Stroke Patients with Hemiplegia of Different Brunnstrom Stages: A Study Based on Five-Region Smart Insoles

Plantar pressure measurement is frequently employed to assess the gait characteristics of strokepatients. This study developed a gait assessment system for stroke patients utilizing a self-developed five-region smart insole, aiming to objectively evaluate their gait characteristics. Atotal of 75 stroke patients (including 14 at Brunnstrom stage III, 18 at stage IV, 27 at stage V,and 16 at stage VI, correspondingly divided into four groups: A, B, C, and D) and 28 healthysubjects (group E) were recruited. The smart insole was used to collect their gait parametersand plot plantar pressure curves. The results showed: (1) There were statistically significantdifferences among the five groups in gait cycle duration, double support phase duration, bilateralsingle support phase duration, swing phase duration, and the peak pressure-to-body weight ratiosfor the bilateral hallux (toe bone), medial metatarsal, lateral metatarsal, and heel regions. Nostatistically significant differences were found in the bilateral arch peak pressure-to-body weightratio among the five groups. (2) Each of the five subject groups exhibited a unique plantarpressure curve profile. The smart insole used in this study can provide objective gait assessmentfor stroke patients and effectively differentiate the gait characteristics of patients at differentBrunnstrom stages.