In Research: Vibrating Insoles Found To Improve Standing Balance In Diabetic Neuropathy

In Research is an ongoing series that explores recent findings in health science.

This interesting article (below) seems to be a great idea for diabetic patients with peripheral neuropathy.

I wonder, however, what the connection is between the vibrating insoles and balance. The news story does not make it completely clear, only to say it improves balance in individuals with neuropathy when normal compensation is inadequate. Pherhaps it acts as a feedback stimulus if balance is being lost.

I also wonder then if the technology could be used in other areas such as parkinsons or MS?

I will report back on this when the formal research article it is published. For now here’s the story.

Medical News Today

February 14, 2009

Peripheral neuropathy, which causes pain and numbness in the hands and feet, affects about one-third of persons with diabetes mellitus. It may also cause balance problems and unsteadiness when walking. According to a study in Volume 45, Issue 9 of the Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development (JRRD), vibrating insoles improved standing in persons with peripheral neuropathy when attention was distracted and vision was occluded.

For the study, vibrating insoles were designed to apply random vibrations to the plantar surface of the feet by piezoelectric elements. Piezoelectric elements are thin and relatively cheap and therefore ideal for application in an insole.

The study assessed participating subjects, ranging in age from 40 to 60, in four different conditions (i.e., eyes open or closed and with or without an attention-demanding task). The findings demonstrate that nondisabled subjects were unaffected by the vibrations. The use of vibrating insoles in which the vibration is applied by piezoelectric elements seems to be an option for increasing stability in persons with neuropathy when compensatory strategies to control balance are limited.

This article will be released later this month in Volume 45, Issue 9 of JRRD. To view this article once published and other recently published diabetes research, please visit http://www.rehab.research.va.gov/cluster/diabetes.html.