Effects of weight-bearing exercise on a mini-trampoline on foot mobility, plantar pressure and sensation of diabetic neuropathic feet; a preliminary study

Figures & data

Figure 1. Flowchart of participants.

Table 1. Exercise program on mini-trampoline.

Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Level 4
- Both legs standing - March walking - One leg standing - Toe raises with both legs standing - Step forward and backward slowly	- One leg standing - March walking - Each ankle inversion and eversion - Step forward and backward slowly - Step sideways - Lightly jump with both legs	- One leg standing - Standing, cross legs at ankles - Toe raises, on one foot - Step sideways - Move opening and closing legs - Lightly jump sideways with both legs - Both ankle inversion and eversion	- Standing, cross legs at ankles - Heel stand, on one foot - Canter - Step sideways - Alternate lightly jumping forward and backward - Both legs standing with closed eyes - Ankle inversion and eversion, on one foot - Heel stand, on one foot

Table 2. Demographic data of exercise group and control group.

	Exercise group (n = 11)		Control group (n = 10)
Variables	Mean ± SD	Min. – Max.	Mean ± SD	Min. – Max.	P-value
Age (years) *	64.8 ± 7.4	53 – 72	65.1 ± 7.7	51 – 75	0.933
BMI (kg m^–^2) ^†	24.2 ± 2.3	21.2 – 29.8	25.3 ± 2.3	22.0 – 28.4	0.279
Weight (kg) ^†	58.5 ± 8.5	45.5 – 79.1	61.1 ± 9.9	48 – 75	0.530
Duration of diabetes (years) ^†	14.6 ± 7.6	5 – 26	14.3 ± 8.0	6 – 32	0.896
Duration of peripheral neuropathy (years) *	4.0 ± 4.5	1 – 15	4.2 ± 4.9	1 – 15	0.923

*Mann–Whitney U test (non-normal distribution).

^†Independent sample t-test (normal distribution).

Values are means ± standard deviation (SD).

Min., minimum; Max., maximum.

Table 3. Comparison of mean and standard deviation of 1^st metatarsophalangeal joint range of motion and peak plantar pressure.

	Exercise group (n = 11)			Control group (n = 10)
Variables	Week 0	Week 8	Week 20	Week 0	Week 8	Week 20
Flexion of 1^st metatarsophalangeal joint (degrees)
Left foot	26.67 ± 11.18^‡	39.33 ± 17.26^§	46.69 ± 14.48^‡§*	32.67 ± 9.42	31.13 ± 12.65	34.23 ± 11.01*
Right foot	26.27 ± 8.55^†‡	39.27 ± 18.08^†	41.88 ± 13.69^‡*	31.23 ± 5.54	28.53 ± 9.88	27.47 ± 9.47*
Extension of 1^st metatarsophalangeal joint (degrees)
Left foot	42.73 ± 15.92^‡	52.48 ± 14.44	57.64 ± 7.32^‡*	48.97 ± 11.53	48.03 ± 15.78	46.17 ± 11.66*
Right foot	38.06 ± 10.34^†‡	47.45 ± 11.93^†	51.48 ± 9.16^‡	47.27 ± 13.71	42.87 ± 15.33	43.93 ± 13.96
Peak plantar pressure of left foot (N cm^–^2)
Hallux	45.72 ± 19.40	48.36 ± 26.23	46.51 ± 14.83	35.28 ± 14.18	36.09 ± 17.92	38.39 ± 24.22
Medial forefoot	24.98 ± 14.42	28.87 ± 17.37	27.37 ± 17.87	23.73 ± 15.98	22.05 ± 11.16	21.68 ± 15.68
Lateral forefoot	49.03 ± 8.36^‡	49.76 ± 10.44^§	58.21 ± 11.18^‡§	33.81 ± 10.31	37.42 ± 22.11	40.62 ± 22.72
Midfoot	20.42 ± 3.59	23.38 ± 7.53	25.33 ± 7.95	19.11 ± 7.23	19.22 ± 5.95	23.69 ± 11.76
Heel	35.42 ± 7.14	42.00 ± 9.51	40.74 ± 7.80	40.23 ± 12.85	42.37 ± 12.01	42.31 ± 12.32
Peak plantar pressure of right foot (N cm^–^2)
Hallux	35.59 ± 13.23	35.16 ± 17.65	38.10 ± 27.91	29.22 ± 14.20	36.71 ± 15.35	34.12 ± 15.08
Medial forefoot	39.56 ± 15.25^‡	42.18 ± 16.14^§	31.46 ± 12.94^‡§	36.17 ± 17.37	40.39 ± 18.26	34.03 ± 12.84
Lateral forefoot	49.47 ± 8.98	51.29 ± 11.68	48.43 ± 15.35	40.17 ± 12.97	45.17 ± 23.09	43.82 ± 23.98
Midfoot	19.31 ± 2.14	21.15 ± 11.05	20.91 ± 9.27	17.89 ± 5.59	18.57 ± 7.89	17.07 ± 5.49
Heel	33.49 ± 7.73	37.06 ± 8.43	38.17 ± 8.57	33.14 ± 15.99	38.56 ± 18.85	40.08 ± 24.33

*Significant difference between groups.

^†Significant difference between week 0 and 8 in exercise group.

^‡Significant difference between week 0 and 20 in exercise group.

^§Significant difference between week 8 and 20 in exercise group.

Table 4. Comparison of lost or reduced pressure and vibration perception between groups.

	Exercise group (n = 11)			Control group (n = 10)
	Week 0	Week 8	Week 20	Week 0	Week 8	Week 20
Pressure perception
Left foot	11	3*	5	10	9*	8
Right foot	11	4	5	10	8	9
Vibration perception
Left foot	11	4	2*	10	8	7*
Right foot	11	3*	2*	10	9*	9*

*Significant difference between groups.