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SummaryThe visual assignment of pressure distribution patterns to anatomical structures utilising dynamic pedography of the forefoot is fraught with a high failure rate. In a comparative study visually determined pedographic results were related to marked reference pedographs. Pedographic recordings were derived from five steps each of 30 healthy individuals (20 women, 10 men) and were subsequently subdivided by five examiners into three areas: the medial forefoot, represented by the first metatarsal head; the central forefoot, represented by the second and third metatarsal head; and the lateral forefoot, represented by the fourth and fifth metatarsal head. The medial forefoot was correctly recognised in 57% of patients, the lateral forefoot in 48% and the central forefoot in as few as 36%. Because of this high rate of error, regularly occurring patterns were sought that allowed a more reliable visual assignment of pressure distribution patterns to anatomical structures. In addition 30 abnormal forefeet of female patients (hallux valgus n=27, hallux rigidus n=3, additional toe deformities n=7) were radiologically and pedographically examined. The lateral forefoot aspect was wider than the medial and central aspect in healthy as well as abnormal forefeet. The medial forefoot region triggered four sensors in 75% of healthy forefeet at a sensor density level of two sensors/cm2. In healthy and abnormal forefeet a significant pressure increase within the central forefoot proved to be an additional orientation tool. A homogenous mediolateral expanse of the central forefoot region triggering four sensors was found in 98% of patients with normal and with a probability of P=0.726 in patients with abnormal forefoot anatomy. The expected value of activated sensors was calculated as 3.92 for the central aspect of abnormal forefeet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]