Background: Although many patients with foot complaints receive customized insoles, the choice for an insole design can vary largely among foot experts. To investigate the variety of insole designs used in daily practice, the insole design and its effect on plantar pressure distribution were investigated in a large group of patients. Materials and Methods: Mean, peak, and pressure-time-integral per sensor for 204 subjects with common foot complaints for walking with and without insoles was measured with the footscan® insole system (RSscan International). Each insole was scanned twice (precision3D), after which the insole height along the longitudinal and transversal cross section was calculated. Subjects were assigned to subgroups based on complaint and medial arch height. Data were analyzed for the total group and for the separate subgroups (forefoot or heel pain group and flat, normal or high medial arch group). Results: The mean pressure significantly decreased under the metatarsal heads II-V and the calcaneus and significantly increased under the metatarsal bones and the lateral foot ( p < 0.0045) due to the insoles. However, similar redistribution patterns were found for the different foot complaints and arch heights. There was a slight difference in insole design between the subgroups; the heel cup was significantly higher and the midfoot support lower for the heel pain group compared to the forefoot pain group. The midfoot support was lowest in the flat arch group compared to the high and normal arch group ( p < 0.05). Conclusion: Although the insole shape was specific for the kind of foot complaint and arch height, the differences in shape were very small and the plantar pressure redistribution was similar for all groups. Clinical Relevance: This study indicates that it might be sufficient to create basic insoles for particular patient groups.

In contrast to western countries, foot complaints are rare in Africa. This is remarkable, as many African adults walk many hours each day, often barefoot or with worn-out shoes. The reason why Africans can withstand such loading without developing foot complaints might be related to the way the foot is loaded. Therefore, static foot geometry and dynamic plantar pressure distribution of 77 adults from Malawi were compared to 77 adults from the Netherlands. None of the subjects had a history of foot complaints. The plantar pressure pattern as well as the Arch Index (AI) and the trajectory of the center of pressure during the stance phase were calculated and compared between both groups. Standardized pictures were taken from the feet to assess the height of the Medial Longitudinal Arch (MLA). We found that Malawian adults: (1) loaded the midfoot for a longer and the forefoot for a shorter period during roll off, (2) had significantly lower plantar pressures under the heel and a part of the forefoot, and (3) had a larger AI and a lower MLA compared to the Dutch. These findings demonstrate that differences in static foot geometry, foot loading, and roll off technique exist between the two groups. The advantage of the foot loading pattern as shown by the Malawian group is that the plantar pressure is distributed more equally over the foot. This might prevent foot complaints.

Understanding motivation for exercise can be helpful in improving levels of physical activity. The Physical Activity and Leisure Motivation Scale (PALMS) measures distinct goal-oriented motivations. In this study selected measurement properties of the Dutch version (PALMS-D) are determined. Forward-backward translation was used for cross-cultural adaptation. Construct validity of the PALMS-D was assessed in five subsamples completing the PALMS-D and the Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire (BREQ-3). The study population consisted of five samples recruited from different populations; samples consisted of runners, hockey players, soccer players, participants in medical fitness, and a sedentary group of young adults with low activity. A total of 733 participants completed the questionnaire: 562 athletes and 171 non-athletes. Exploratory for Analysis confirmed the original eight factors. Internal consistency of the subscales was high, except for Others’ expectations. The a priori determined hypotheses related to differences between athletes participating in different sports were confirmed, as well as the hypothesis related to differences between amateur athletes, patients in medical fitness, and non-active participants. It was concluded that the Dutch version of the PALMS is an acceptable questionnaire with which to evaluate the individual motivation of athletes in the Netherlands, and discriminates between different leisure athletes, patients in medical fitness, and non-active youths.

Running with music has been shown to acutely change cadence. However, it is unclear if the increased cadence remains long‐term when running without music in an in‐field situation. The aim of this 12‐week study was to investigate the effect of a 4‐week music running program on cadence, speed and heartrate during and after the music running program. Seven recreational runners with a cadence of <170 steps per minute were randomly assigned to a baseline and post‐intervention period of different durations. During the intervention phase, the participants ran with a musical beat that was 7.5–10% higher than their mean cadence at the start of the study. Cadence, heartrate and running speed were measured twice a week during a 5‐kilometer run with a watch, and were analyzed using randomization tests and visual data inspection. Two participants dropped‐out due to shortage of time (n = 1) and an acute calf injury (n = 1). Cadence significantly increased during the intervention period (+8.5%), and remained elevated during the post‐intervention period (+7.9% (p = .001)) in comparison with the baseline period. Heartrate and running speed did not significantly change during any period. This study among five participants shows that four weeks of running with a musical beat that is 7.5–10% higher than the preferred cadence may be an effective and feasible intervention to increase running cadence. Importantly, the increased cadence occurred without simultaneous increases in running speed and heartrate, hereby potentially reducing mechanical loading without increasing metabolic load.Highlights Running with a musical rhythm that is higher than the preferred cadence leads to an increased running cadence, without increasing heartrate and running speed. This cadence remains elevated for at least three to five weeks after the music intervention period. All individuals showed a practically relevant increase in cadence during and after the intervention.