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Does footprint depth correlate with foot motion and pressure?
K T Bates1, R Savage, T C Pataky
1Evolutionary Morphology and Biomechanics Research Group, Department of Musculoskeletal Biology, Institute of Aging and Chronic Disease, University of Liverpool, , Sherrington Building, Ashton Street, Liverpool, UK. k.t.bates@liverpool.ac.uk
Journal of the Royal Society, Interface
|March 22, 2013
Summary
Footprint depth does not always reflect pressure distribution in extinct animals. Researchers found that deeper footprints show more forefoot and toe depth, highlighting substrate compliance effects on locomotor biomechanics.
Area of Science:
- Paleontology
- Biomechanics
- Ichmology (study of fossil footprints)
Background:
- Footprints offer direct insights into extinct vertebrate locomotor biomechanics.
- A key assumption is that footprint geometry correlates with dynamic foot pressure and limb motion.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantitatively test the assumption that footprint geometry reflects dynamic foot pressure.
- To analyze the relationship between footprint topology, plantar pressures, and substrate compliance.
Main Methods:
- Utilized topological statistical analysis on plantar pressures.
- Employed experimental and computer-simulated footprints for analysis.
- Compared depth distributions with pressure and peak impulse distributions.
Main Results:
- Simulated footprints showed differing distributions of depth, peak pressure, and pressure impulse.
- Shallow footprints exhibited fewer topological differences between depth and pressure distributions.
- Deeper experimental footprints showed increased relative forefoot and toe depth, dependent on substrate compliance.
Conclusions:
- Footprint geometry, particularly depth, is significantly influenced by substrate compliance.
- The 'depth equals pressure' paradigm requires extreme caution when applied to fossil footprints, including hominin tracks.
- Further research is needed to understand foot mechanics across varying substrate compliances.
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