In-shoe plantar temperature, normal and shear stress relationships during gait and rest periods for people living with and without diabetes

Abstract Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are a common complication of diabetes. This study aims to investigate the relationships between in-shoe plantar temperature, normal and shear stress during walking and rest periods for participants with and without diabetes. For this purpose, a novel temperature,...

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Main Authors: Athia Haron, Lutong Li, Jiawei Shuang, Chaofan Lin, Maedeh Mansoubi, Xiyu Shi, Daniel Horn, Neil Reeves, Frank Bowling, Katherine Bradbury, Andrew Eccles, Safak Dogan, Helen Dawes, Glen Cooper, Andrew Weightman
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-03-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-91934-9
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author Athia Haron
Lutong Li
Jiawei Shuang
Chaofan Lin
Maedeh Mansoubi
Xiyu Shi
Daniel Horn
Neil Reeves
Frank Bowling
Katherine Bradbury
Andrew Eccles
Safak Dogan
Helen Dawes
Glen Cooper
Andrew Weightman
author_facet Athia Haron
Lutong Li
Jiawei Shuang
Chaofan Lin
Maedeh Mansoubi
Xiyu Shi
Daniel Horn
Neil Reeves
Frank Bowling
Katherine Bradbury
Andrew Eccles
Safak Dogan
Helen Dawes
Glen Cooper
Andrew Weightman
author_sort Athia Haron
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are a common complication of diabetes. This study aims to investigate the relationships between in-shoe plantar temperature, normal and shear stress during walking and rest periods for participants with and without diabetes. For this purpose, a novel temperature, normal and shear stress sensing system was developed and embedded in an insole at the hallux, first metatarsal head and calcaneus region. Ten participants living with diabetes with no history of previous ulceration and ten healthy participants were recruited. Participants walked on a treadmill for 15 min and then rested for 20 min wearing the sensing insole. Results showed high correlation (Spearman’s r s ≥ 0.917) between heat energy, total plantar temperature change, during walking and strain energy, cumulative stress squared in all participants. Importantly, between-group comparisons showed indications of thermal regulation differences in participants with and without diabetes, with the first metatarsal head site showing significantly higher temperature at the end of the active period (P = 0.0097) although walking speed and mechanical stress were similar. This research demonstrates for the first time the correlation between strain energy and heat energy in-shoe during gait. Further research is needed to quantify relationships and investigate thermal regulation as a mechanism for DFU formation.
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spelling doaj-art-e7f5d7afe2454ccb9505add3d5edf2b72025-08-20T02:56:06ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-03-0115111810.1038/s41598-025-91934-9In-shoe plantar temperature, normal and shear stress relationships during gait and rest periods for people living with and without diabetesAthia Haron0Lutong Li1Jiawei Shuang2Chaofan Lin3Maedeh Mansoubi4Xiyu Shi5Daniel Horn6Neil Reeves7Frank Bowling8Katherine Bradbury9Andrew Eccles10Safak Dogan11Helen Dawes12Glen Cooper13Andrew Weightman14School of Engineering, University of ManchesterSchool of Engineering, University of ManchesterCollege of Mechanical Engineering, Yangzhou UniversitySchool of Engineering, University of ManchesterMedical School, NIHR Exeter BRC, University of ExeterInstitute for Digital Technologies, Loughborough University LondonSurvey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE Berlin Institute)Lancaster Medical School, Faculty of Health and Medicine, Lancaster UniversityManchester University NHS Foundation Trust within the Departments of Diabetes and Vascular SurgerySchool of Psychology, University of SouthamptonSchool of Social Work & Social Policy, University of StrathclydeInstitute for Digital Technologies, Loughborough University LondonMedical School, NIHR Exeter BRC, University of ExeterSchool of Engineering, University of ManchesterSchool of Engineering, University of ManchesterAbstract Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are a common complication of diabetes. This study aims to investigate the relationships between in-shoe plantar temperature, normal and shear stress during walking and rest periods for participants with and without diabetes. For this purpose, a novel temperature, normal and shear stress sensing system was developed and embedded in an insole at the hallux, first metatarsal head and calcaneus region. Ten participants living with diabetes with no history of previous ulceration and ten healthy participants were recruited. Participants walked on a treadmill for 15 min and then rested for 20 min wearing the sensing insole. Results showed high correlation (Spearman’s r s ≥ 0.917) between heat energy, total plantar temperature change, during walking and strain energy, cumulative stress squared in all participants. Importantly, between-group comparisons showed indications of thermal regulation differences in participants with and without diabetes, with the first metatarsal head site showing significantly higher temperature at the end of the active period (P = 0.0097) although walking speed and mechanical stress were similar. This research demonstrates for the first time the correlation between strain energy and heat energy in-shoe during gait. Further research is needed to quantify relationships and investigate thermal regulation as a mechanism for DFU formation.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-91934-9
spellingShingle Athia Haron
Lutong Li
Jiawei Shuang
Chaofan Lin
Maedeh Mansoubi
Xiyu Shi
Daniel Horn
Neil Reeves
Frank Bowling
Katherine Bradbury
Andrew Eccles
Safak Dogan
Helen Dawes
Glen Cooper
Andrew Weightman
In-shoe plantar temperature, normal and shear stress relationships during gait and rest periods for people living with and without diabetes
Scientific Reports
title In-shoe plantar temperature, normal and shear stress relationships during gait and rest periods for people living with and without diabetes
title_full In-shoe plantar temperature, normal and shear stress relationships during gait and rest periods for people living with and without diabetes
title_fullStr In-shoe plantar temperature, normal and shear stress relationships during gait and rest periods for people living with and without diabetes
title_full_unstemmed In-shoe plantar temperature, normal and shear stress relationships during gait and rest periods for people living with and without diabetes
title_short In-shoe plantar temperature, normal and shear stress relationships during gait and rest periods for people living with and without diabetes
title_sort in shoe plantar temperature normal and shear stress relationships during gait and rest periods for people living with and without diabetes
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-91934-9
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