Dr. Brian Davis, Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, has received $75,000 funding from the National Institutes of Health through Innovative Scientific Solutions Inc., for the project titled "Detecting Arch Instability in Charcot Neuropathy”. 

Charcot neuropathy (CN) is a serious complication resulting from poorly controlled diabetes and peripheral neuropathy that leads to the collapse, and ultimately the breakdown, of the midfoot. Charcot occurs in approximately 0.08% of the general diabetic population, however the prevalence increases to 13% in high-risk diabetic patients and even to 35% in patients with polyneuropathy in industrialized countries. 

Dr. Davis and his team recently identified an early detection concept for arch instability using a platform system for plantar shear and pressure measurements produced by ISSI.  In this project, Dr. Davis proposes the next step in developing a tool for detecting and monitoring arch instability, specifically, an in-shoe system that measures plantar pressure and shear in normal footwear over multiple gait cycles. 

Phase I combines CSU’s arch collapse detection algorithms with ISSI’s new in-shoe sensor technology. It includes benchtop calibration and validation of the in-shoe system and comprehensive gait testing with a cohort of control subjects with varying arch indices. If successful, Phase II will evaluate the system’s performance with diabetic and Charcot patients and develop risk thresholds. The overall objective is to lay the groundwork for commercializing a product that will enable early diagnosis and monitoring of “Charcot foot” and will also address the broad need to assess risk factors for skin breakdown under the feet of diabetic patients.

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