A Development of Plantar Pressure Sensor for Foot Ulcer Detection in Diabetic Neuropathy Individuals – A Pilot Study

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder that derived from the body’s inability to attain glucose homeostasis. Further increase in glucose level in the bloodstream, if left untreated, will lead to further metabolic disorder and complication such as amputation of a lower limb that caused by a foot ulcer. Approximately, 60% of diabetic foot ulcer comes from neuropathy. Thus, an early detection of foot ulcer would benefit particularly for diabetes individuals to reduce the risk of amputation. In this research, a plantar pressure sensor system is developed by using the Flexiforce sensor with data acquisition of NI-USB6008 as an interface to gather measurement data. There are four Flexiforce sensors that are placed at the most identified points at the right foot, which are heel, mid foot, fore foot and toe. In this pilot study, the right foot was chosen to be tested with this system. Further analysis was carried out to distinguish between 3 healthy individuals and 3 individuals with diabetes based on gathered plantar pressure value. A correlation study was performed between plantar pressure data and blood glucose data at t = 0 (G ₀) to further justify the result before distinguishing the metabolic state of the individual. Although results show no significant different (p<0.05) between these two groups based on 4 measurement points, this research provides a promising finding as some of the pressure reading of diabetes patients are significantly higher than a normal person. Hence, early detection of a foot ulcer is a good indicator that can significantly reduce diabetes-related foot complications through early education and appropriate foot care. This early detection of a foot ulcer also could benefit a better diagnosis and reduce subsequent risk and impact on diabetes-related foot complications.