In-Shoe Pressure Measurements in Diabetic Footwear Practice: Success Rate and Facilitators of and Barriers to Implementation

Abstract

We aimed to assess the success rate and facilitators of and the barriers to the implementation of in-shoe plantar pressure measurements in footwear practice for people with diabetes at high risk of foot ulceration. Eleven Dutch footwear practices were partly supported in purchasing a pressure measurement system. Over a 2.5-year period, trained shoe technicians evaluated 1030 people with diabetes (range: 13 to 156 across practices). The implementation success and associated facilitators and barriers were evaluated quantitatively using completed measurement forms and pressure measurement data obtained during four monitoring sessions and qualitatively through semi-structured interviews with technicians. Across the 11 practices, the primary target group (people with diabetes and a healed plantar foot ulcer) represented 25–90% of all the patients measured. The results showed that three practices were successful, five moderately successful, and three not successful. The facilitators included support by the company management board, collaboration with a prescribing physician, measurement sessions separate from the outpatient clinic, and a (dedicated) shoe technician experiencing a learning effect. The barriers included investment costs, usability aspects, and limited awareness among shoe technicians. In-shoe plantar pressure measurements can be implemented to a moderate to large degree in diabetic footwear practice. The barriers to and facilitators of implementation are organizational, logistical, financial, or technical, and the barriers are modifiable, supporting future implementation.

Keywords

• diabetic foot
• pressure measurement
• custom-made footwear
• implementation