The Effect of Insole Padding System on Muscle Activity, Plantar Pressure and Subjective Responses

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the immediate effect of the three insoles including general flat insole (G), ergo-insole (E) and insole padding system (IPS). Fifteen healthy females participated in this study. The response measurements included muscle activity, foot plantar pressure, subjective discomfort, and overall preference rating. One-way ANOVA was conducted to evaluate the insole effect on the response measurements. The results showed that no significant differences between the three insoles were obtained in the four muscle activities of a leg. It means that using the IPS insole would not lead to the higher muscular load or cause fatigue of lower extremities. Significant differences among the three insoles were found in plantar pressures and the results indicated that the lower pressures were obtained in the area of 2nd– 5thmetatarsal, midfoot and heel region when walking with IPS insole. For subjective discomfort rating results, significant discomfort was found in the arch and midfoot area while wearing E and IPS insoles. Nevertheless, wearing E and IPS insoles had better performance on overall subjective preference rating. The results of this study could be a consideration to improve the design of the insoles. Moreover, the findings suggest that walking with IPS insole might enhance the usage of toes in order to improve walking performance without any discomfort in toes and leg fatigue in a short time.