New Delhi: Researchers at the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Rourkela have developed a low-cost indigenous force plate to measure multi-axial ground reaction forces (GRF) for gait profiling, officials said on Thursday.

Force plates are widely recognised diagnostic tools for analysing musculoskeletal health but are costly and largely imported, limiting their availability in India. The NIT team said its device can be supplied at nearly one-fourth the price of global systems. A patent has been filed for the product and the findings have been published in the Journal of Mechanics in Medicine and Biology.

Gait profiling evaluates a person's walking pattern by comparing it to reference datasets of healthy gait. Using the new force plate with a motion capture system, the researchers studied heel pad stiffness in a non-invasive way across normal weight, overweight and obese groups. The heel pad, a fatty tissue under the heel, acts as a natural cushion, and its deterioration is a common cause of heel pain.

“Most neuromuscular disorders affect gait. Disturbances in muscle strength, balance or coordination can alter GRF. Conditions like myopathies, neuropathies, cerebral palsy or Parkinson's can be diagnosed with this device,” said A Thirugnanam, Professor at NIT Rourkela.

He added that the indigenous force plate could also aid in sports science, rehabilitation, orthotics, prosthetics and shoe design. “Our device offers a cost-effective option for hospitals, sports academies and institutes across India,” Thirugnanam said.