Shoes for people with diabetes

2022: Announcement of shoes for diabetics

On June 16, 2022, researchers from the Indian Institute of Science announced the creation of shoes that can independently regulate the distribution of pressure when walking, helping to avoid pain and friction, which can lead to complications in people with diabetes.

In diabetes, patients often experience a loss of sensation in their legs due to diabetic peripheral neuropathy, which can affect their gait. With a healthy, normal gait, first the heel hits the ground, then the pad of the foot and toes, which helps to distribute pressure evenly throughout the foot.

Created shoes for diabetics

However, in people with diabetic peripheral neuropathy, this gait may be impaired, leading to pressure disturbance in certain areas. Over time, this can lead to problems such as foot ulcers, which can be especially serious due to the underlying disease, diabetes. To combat this, specially designed shoes contain several arches that respond to walking pressure and help redistribute it. The vaults "snap" into an inverted shape when they are under too much pressure.

{{quote 'When we remove pressure, the vault automatically returns to its original position - this is what we call self-healing,' says Priyabrata Maharana, a researcher who participated in the study. We take into account a person's weight, foot size, walking speed and pressure distribution to determine the maximum load to be eliminated. }} {{quote 'Researchers say their solution is more effective than existing designs, some of which use memory foam to make shoes less abrasive. There are many commercial shoe manufacturers that sell expensive shoes under the guise of providing comfort using so-called memory foam, but we tested them and they don't have the required characteristics, said G. K. Anantasures, another researcher involved in the study. This shoe can be used not only by people with diabetic neuropathy, if they wish, but also by other people. }} {{quote 'One of the advantages of the developed technology is its simplicity, the researchers noted. It's a mechanical solution to the problem, "Anantasuresh says. In most cases, people use electromechanical solutions. Such solutions include sensors and actuators, which can increase the cost of shoes and make them very expensive^[1] }}

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