The Māori foot exhibits differences in plantar loading and midfoot morphology to the Caucasian foot

Gait Posture. 2012 May;36(1):157-9. doi: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2012.01.013. Epub 2012 Feb 23.

Abstract

The question being addressed in the current study was whether the diabetic Māori foot was more or less prone to ulceration than the diabetic New Zealand Caucasian (NZC) foot. Harris mat and pedobarographic analyses were employed to assess static and dynamic foot morphology and plantar loading in 40 Māori and NZC diabetic and non-diabetic participants. Significantly higher peak pressures were exhibited by the diabetic Māori participants compared to their NZC peers at the central forefoot. Significantly higher static and dynamic arch index values and significantly higher sub-arch angle values were exhibited by the non-diabetic Māori participants compared to their NZC peers. The latter findings suggest that healthy Māori may have a predisposition towards having a flatter foot than healthy NZC, which may have footwear design implications.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Biomechanical Phenomena
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Diabetic Foot / ethnology*
  • Diabetic Foot / physiopathology*
  • Female
  • Flatfoot / ethnology
  • Foot / anatomy & histology*
  • Foot / physiopathology
  • Forefoot, Human / physiopathology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • New Zealand / ethnology
  • Pressure
  • Reference Values
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Stress, Mechanical
  • Weight-Bearing / physiology*
  • White People