Happy New Year everyone. Hopefully this message finds you well and back
to work, for my sake anyway.
I am about to start the first phase of a research project into the
permanence of kinetic and kinematic changes caused by foot orthotics in
a pronated population. Methods have been accepted but I would like
additional opinions on one.
The period of adaptation to foot orthotics and test shoes has been set
at one month. Data will be collected at beginning and end of that time
period. However, I cannot find studies to support any specific period
as being required for human adaptation.
Cavanagh has some work where he postulated lack of orthotic effect was
due to subject adaptation. There has also been work related to GRF and
surfaces that posutlates adaptation resulted in minimal GRF changes
although stiffness of surface material changed substantially. In all
cases adaptation was immediate.
Orthotists I contacted advised a 1-2 week period for their patients to
adapt to new foot orthotics. But their concern is to slowly build
patient tolerance to a point the orthotics can be worn all day.
So I would like to ask for advice, opinions and support about what is a
reasonable time for adaptation if the purpose is to determine whether
immediate kinetic and kinematic effects are indeed permanent or
temporary. Data collection at beginning and end of period is in test
shoes w/foot orthotics.
Thanks for your help, of course all answers will be posted to the list.
Louis B. Rosenfeld
