A comparison of five commonly used insole materials (Spenco(R)1, PPT(R)2, Plastazote(R)3, Nickelplast(R)2, and Pelite(R)4 was made to evaluate their effectiveness in reducing plantar vertical pressures on human subjects during walking. With the use of the EMED-SF pedograph(R)5 force plate system, dynamic measures of vertical force, force-time integral, peak plantar pressure, pressure-time integral, and area of foot-to-ground contact were compared with the force plate covered with each of the insole materials and without any interface material. Shear forces were not examined in this (SIC).