In Big Relief For Diabetes Patients, IISc Bengaluru Develops 'Snapping' Footwear To Prevent Diabetic Foot Complications

One of the symptoms of patients with diabetes is a slower rate of healing foot injuries and wounds. To prevent infections, which have a higher rate of developing, and complications that might arise and result in amputations, a set of 'snapping' self-regulatory sandals have been developed by researchers of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and the Karnataka Institute of Endocrinology and Research (KIER).

Highly Beneficial To Diabetic Patients

The head of the Department of Podiatry at KIER, Pavan Belehalli, said in a statement, explained that a healthy person places their heel on the ground, then their foot and toes, and the cycle repeats to distribute pressure "across the foot" evenly.

But for people with diabetes who have reduced or no sensation, this walking style can be difficult, and pressure can be unevenly distributed, putting them at a "greater risk of developing ulcers, corns, calluses and other complications," as reported by The Indian Express.

The first author and one of the PhD students in the Mechanical Engineering Dept in IISc, Priyabrata Maharana, said that the insole returns to its original position after the pressure is removed, which is called 'self off-loading'. She added that most therapeutic footwear available right now is ineffective at proper off-loading of the uneven pressure of the 'abnormal' gait cycle, or walking style, of diabetic patients.

The snapping mechanism would keep the foot well-balanced and help heal the injured area faster while preventing injuries due to uneven pressure in other areas of the foot.

The Mechanism

The Mechanical Engineering Department of the IISc developed this pair of sandals with 'snapping' arches in the insoles that will evenly distribute the pressure, so when the pressure is removed, the arch will snap back into place.

Priyabatra also explained that they had designed arches that would 'snap' to an inverted shape when extra pressure, crossing the threshold, is applied, and it would 'snap' back into the original position when the pressure is removed, as reported by The Times of India.

They also consider the person's weight, walking speed, foot size, and the pressure exerted to determine the maximum pressure that needs to be off-loaded. Along with that, she added that they had added multiple arches along the entire length of the sandal so that pressure could be off-loaded effectively.

Customisable To Preferences

The sandals are 3D printed, allowing them to be customised according to the patient's foot size, weight, walking style and other factors, allowing maximum comfort and effectiveness in healing and preventing injuries.

The researchers are also collaborating with Bengaluru-based Foot Secure and Yostra Labs, both of which are healthcare start-ups that can help commercialise and distribute these sandals and make them more accessible to people in need.

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