A comparison of types and thicknesses of adhesive felt padding in the reduction of peak plantar pressure of the foot: a case report

INTRODUCTION: This case report will have implications for any area of medicine that aims to redistribute plantar pressure away from a particular area of the foot. This could be for example in the short-term care of people with diabetes, people who have insensate feet and people with poor blood supply to the foot coupled with plantar ulceration. The aim of the study was to investigate which type and thickness of Hapla felt padding is the most effective at redistributing plantar pressure of the foot. This case report is the first of its kind. CASE PRESENTATION: The participant was a healthy 50-year-old white man with a high peak plantar pressure over the second metatarsal head of both feet; he required removal of a plantar callus on a periodic basis. CONCLUSIONS: The reader should note that different types of Hapla felt padding provide different forms of redistribution of plantar pressure on the foot. In the clinic it may be useful to measure peak plantar pressure using F-Scan before deciding on the most appropriate type of felt padding.