The Effect of a Heel to Toe Rocker Sole on Walking in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A Pilot Study

Rocker-soled shoes are usually used to help for preventing foot problems in the diabetic population. However, different designs of rocker sole exist, there is limited knowledge regarding their effect on gait parameters in diabetic patients. Methods and Materials: Six subjects with type 2 diabetes (4 males, and 2 females) walked in a gait laboratory setting. A three-dimensional motion capture system was used to acquire gait data when walking barefoot, with un-adapted footwear, or footwear adapted with a heel-to-toe rocker sole. The gait variables were as follows: spatiotemporal parameters (walking speed, cadence, percentage of stance phase, and stride length) and sagittal range of motion of ankle, knee, and hip joints. Results: Among spatiotemporal parameters, only the stance phase percentage was significantly increased when the subjects walked with the rocker-soled footwear (12%) and un-adapted footwear (10.7%) compared with barefoot walking, but not significant difference between 2 footwear conditions. There were no significant differences between the three test conditions in hip, knee or ankle joint ranges of motion in the sagittal plane. Conclusion: This pilot study demonstrated that footwear can potentially be adapted with a rocker sole profile in diabetic patients without significantly affecting hip, knee and ankle sagittal plane kinematics.