Your feet work hard every day supporting your body, absorbing impact and adapting to different surfaces. But they often get ignored until something goes wrong. Imagine your shoes alerting you to foot injuries before you feel any pain, or your socks warning you about the risk of an ulcer before symptoms even appear. This is the promise of new wearable foot technology.
About one in five adults in middle and old age experiences foot pain, ranging from minor aches to problems that limit daily activities. Some foot conditions, particularly linked to diabetes, can be life-threatening.
Diabetic foot ulcers have a five-year death rate of around 40%. This means that patients with foot ulcers caused by diabetes have a 40% chance of dying within five years of symptoms appearing, which is higher than many cancers. If untreated, ulcers can lead to severe infections and even necessitate amputation.
New wearable devices, such as smart insoles and socks, can prevent these serious complications through early detection. They work by constantly tracking your foot pressure, walking patterns and even skin temperature.
The collected information is analysed using advanced algorithms and artificial intelligence, providing timely warnings about potential foot problems. Machine learning, for instance, has successfully predicted diabetic foot ulcers from this wearable data, helping healthcare providers intervene before complications occur.
Smart insoles contain tiny sensors that measure how pressure spreads across your feet when you walk or run. They can detect abnormal walking patterns with over 90% precision, spotting issues before they cause pain or injury.
These devices have proven especially useful for older adults and people with neurological conditions like stroke, multiple sclerosis, or movement disorders such as Parkinson’s disease.
Smart socks use sensors to constantly measure foot temperature and pressure, detecting early signs of inflammation. They’re particularly beneficial for people with diabetes, as research shows these socks can predict and help prevent foot ulcers.
Smart compression socks, which also monitor blood oxygen levels, can identify important changes during daily activities. This further reduces the risk of severe complications such as poor circulation, tissue damage and infection.
Continuously tracking a person’s foot health in these ways allows potential issues to be identified before they escalate, shifting foot care from reactive treatment to proactive management. So, wearable foot technology offers advantages for groups like athletes and people with chronic conditions.
Athletes, especially those involved in high-impact sports like running, often put immense stress on their feet, increasing injury risk. Smart insoles provide immediate feedback, allowing athletes to adjust their running technique. Studies have shown that athletes using these insoles improved their running form and experienced fewer injuries.
People with chronic health conditions, such as diabetes, also stand to benefit greatly from wearable technologies. Continuous monitoring with smart devices significantly lowers the risk of severe complications.
For example, one study found that high-risk patients with diabetes who used smart socks with continuous temperature monitoring had much better outcomes. They experienced a 71% lower rate of foot ulcers and a 52% lower rate of amputations. This improvement was linked to earlier detection and intervention.
Potential challenges
Privacy remains a significant issue with these devices, as they constantly collect sensitive health data. Ensuring data is secure is therefore crucial. Accuracy is also important, as devices must reliably avoid false alarms or missed warnings. And although prices have decreased, wearable technology may still be expensive for many people, limiting its widespread use.
The future of wearable foot technology is promising, however. Devices are becoming smaller, more affordable and easier to use. Innovations like 3D printing now enable customised smart insoles that perfectly match a person’s foot shape, boosting comfort and accuracy.
Upcoming developments also include flexible sensors that can connect to smartphones and healthcare systems. These allow for remote monitoring and personalised care. For example, researchers have recently developed smart pyjamas with built-in fabric sensors. These sensors track breathing patterns and detect sleep disorders. The data is then sent directly to a phone app for analysis.
Like these innovations, smart insoles and socks are moving toward more flexible, user-friendly designs that can integrate into everyday life. The goal across all this different technology is the same – to make health monitoring more accessible, comfortable and proactive without the need for bulky equipment or clinic visits.
Wearable tech is a significant step forward for foot health. It offers early warnings and personalised insights beyond traditional methods. From preventing severe complications like diabetic ulcers to enhancing athletic performance, these devices could soon become standard parts of everyday healthcare.
- is a Senior Lecturer in Podiatry, Cardiff Metropolitan University
- This article first appeared in The Conversation
