Mapping load transfer from the plantar surface of the foot to the walls of the total contact cast (TCC)

Background The mechanism of offloading plantar pressure with a TCC is by redistributing weight-bearing load across the entire plantar surface of the foot and increasing the plantar surface contact area [1]. An additional mechanism is by transfer of load to the cast walls however these studies relied on indirect methods [2-4]. No previous research has directly measured the load on the cast wall. The aim of this pilot study was to: 1. Systematically map pressure between the walls of the TCC and the lower limb to identify those areas of greatest pressure. 2. To directly measure load transfer from the plantar surface of the foot to the cast walls.