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Updated: Feb 8, 2026

Evaluating the Function of the Foot Core System in the Elderly
Published on: March 11, 2022
Foot internal stress distribution during impact in barefoot running as function of the strike pattern
Enrique Morales-Orcajo1,2, Ricardo Becerro de Bengoa Vallejo3, Marta Losa Iglesias4
1a Applied Mechanics and Bioengineering group (AMB) Aragón Institute of Engineering Research (I3A) . University of Zaragoza , Zaragoza , Spain . Biomedical Research Networking Center in Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN).
Abstract:
The aim of the present study is to examine the impact absorption mechanism of the foot for different strike patterns (rearfoot, midfoot and forefoot) using a continuum mechanics approach. A three-dimensional finite element model of the foot was employed to estimate the stress distribution in the foot at the moment of impact during barefoot running. The effects of stress attenuating factors such as the landing angle and the surface stiffness were also analyzed. We characterized rear and forefoot plantar sole behavior in an experimental test, which allowed for refined modeling of plantar pressures for the different strike patterns. Modeling results on the internal stress distributions allow predictions of the susceptibility to injury for particular anatomical structures in the foot.
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