New Perspectives on Foot Segment Forces and Joint Kinetics-Integrating Plantar Shear Stresses and Pressures with...

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Human Movement Science
• Orthopedics

Background:

• The role of foot articulations and plantar tissues in gait remains unclear.
• Kinematic multi-segment foot models (MSF) offer insights into foot motion, but integrating kinetics is crucial for deeper understanding.
• Challenges exist in capturing and utilizing segmental ground reaction forces effectively.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a methodology for integrating plantar pressures and shear stresses with MSF models.
• To generate and present key normative data from this integrated system.

Main Methods:

• Twenty-six healthy adults walked barefoot over a pressure/shear sensor array.
• Markers were used, aligning with a published 4-segment foot model.
• A novel template-based masking method was employed to separate plantar regions corresponding to model segments.

Main Results:

• The developed method successfully separated plantar regions aligned with MSF segmentation.
• Directional shear force plots illustrated opposing shear forces within and between segments.
• Segment centers of pressure (CoPs) were largely stationary, indicating weight redistribution drives gait progression.

Conclusions:

• This study successfully integrated motion capture with direct plantar pressure and shear measurements for MSF kinetics.
• The developed tools and normative database can serve as a baseline for clinical gait analysis, aiding in understanding energetics, efficiency, balance, and motor control.
• This work advances kinetic MSF modeling, enhancing knowledge of foot mechanics for improved clinical applications.