The pedobarographic assessment of exercise in diabetes mellitus patients with and without neuropathy

The primary aim of this study is to investigate whether there is a significant difference in plantar pressure values between the patients who identified have neuropathy with physical examination methods and who are not, in patients who refer to Celal Bayar University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation outpatient clinic and have the diagnosis of type-2 DM before. The secondary goal by giving a home exercise program for the joints of the foot of diabetic patients for 1 month and then reevaluating is to investigate whether a significant difference occur between groups who made exercise and not; and whether there are significant changes in plantar pressure of patients with exercise.38 patients with neuropathy (14 males, 24 females) and 38 patients without neuropathy (14 males, 24 females) as a total of 76 patients were included in the study. In all the cases, static and dynamic foot pressures were measured using RsScan pedobarography device, ankle and first metatarsofalengeal joint range of motion was measured with a manual goniometer. 19 patients in neuropathic group and 19 patients in non-neuropathic group was given a home exercise program. All patients whether have an exercise program or not were reassessed after 1 month.As a result it is determined that there is a reduction of the articular mobility with diabetic neuropathy but in plantar pressure values there was no significant difference when compared with patients without neuropathy. Moreover it is determined that the home exercise program cause an increase in range of motion and decrease in plantar pressure values of feet of diabetic patients and presence of neuropathy is not is not affecting this. It is suggested that even the home exercise programs that is not supervised can reduce plantar pressures in diabetic patients.