Peripheral neuropathy, which causes pain and numbness in the hands and feet, affects about one-third of persons with diabetes mellitus. It may also cause balance problems and unsteadiness when walking. According to a study in Volume 45, Issue 9 of the Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development (JRRD), vibrating insoles improved standing in persons with peripheral neuropathy when attention was distracted and vision was occluded.

For the study, vibrating insoles were designed to apply random vibrations to the plantar surface of the feet by piezoelectric elements. Piezoelectric elements are thin and relatively cheap and therefore ideal for application in an insole.

The study assessed participating subjects, ranging in age from 40 to 60, in four different conditions (i.e., eyes open or closed and with or without an attention-demanding task). The findings demonstrate that nondisabled subjects were unaffected by the vibrations. The use of vibrating insoles in which the vibration is applied by piezoelectric elements seems to be an option for increasing stability in persons with neuropathy when compensatory strategies to control balance are limited.