The neuropathic ulcer and loads on the foot in diabetic patients.

Normal subjects and diabetic patients with and without food ulcers have been studied using an apparatus which measures the loads on the foot during walking. Diabetic patients have alterations in loading which show as a lateral shift of the highest maximum load on the forefoot and a decrease in the load carried by the toes. There is a significant progression of these changes between normal subjects, diabetic patients with deformity of the foot but no ulcer, and diabetic patients with foot ulcers. All the patients with ulcers exerted maximum loads at the site of the ulcer.