Vibrating Insoles and Diabetes

Diabetic researchers have published reports in the Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development of creating a device that will enhance the lives of patients suffering from diabetes mellitus. Diabetes mellitus is known to cause peripheral neuropathy in about one third of its patients. Peripheral neuropathy causes numbness and pain in the feet and hands. They also suffer from balance complications and being unsteady while walking. These researchers have developed a vibrating insole made of piezoelectric elements that is placed on the bottom of each foot. The diabetes researchers created a case study with people ranging from 40 to 60 years old and under four different conditions, eyes open, eyes closed, with or without an attention-grabbing task. They found that people who did not suffer from diabetes mellitus showed no signs of a reaction of the insoles. The persons who did have diabetes mellitus displayed an increase in stability with the vibration of the insoles.

This article is interesting because it shows how detailed our medical technology has become. It is also interesting that vibrations at the bottom of someone’s foot can stimulate the nervous system of only certain people with a specific disease.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/139035.php