Custom orthotic design by integrating 3D scanning and subject-specific FE modelling workflow

• Published in: Medical & biological engineering & computing Vol. 62; no. 7; pp. 2059 - 2071
• Main Authors: Peng, Yinghu, Wang, Yan, Zhang, Qida, Chen, Shane Fei, Zhang, Ming, Li, Guanglin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.07.2024; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adult; Bioengineering; Biomechanical Phenomena; Biomechanics; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering; Biomedicine; bones; boning; Computer Applications; Customization; Design; Design optimization; Deviation; Diabetes; Engineering; Equipment Design; Feet; Female; Finite Element Analysis; Finite element method; Foot - physiology; Foot diseases; Foot Orthoses; geometry; Human Physiology; Humans; Imaging; Imaging, Three-Dimensional - methods; Kinematics; Male; Medical research; Modelling; Original; Original Article; Orthoses; Pain; prediction; Pressure; Pressure distribution; process design; Radiology; surfaces; Workflow; Young Adult; Foot–ankle joint; Customized foot scaling; Finite element analysis; Foot orthosis
• ISSN: 0140-0118; 1741-0444; 1741-0444
• DOI: 10.1007/s11517-024-03067-2

The finite element (FE) foot model can help estimate pathomechanics and improve the customized foot orthoses design. However, the procedure of developing FE models can be time-consuming and costly. This study aimed to develop a subject-specific scaled foot modelling workflow for the foot orthoses design based on the scanned foot surface data. Six participants (twelve feet) were collected for the foot finite element modelling. The subject-specific surface-based finite element model (SFEM) was established by incorporating the scanned foot surface and scaled foot bone geometries. The geometric deviations between the scaled and the scanned foot surfaces were calculated. The SFEM model was adopted to predict barefoot and foot-orthosis interface pressures. The averaged distances between the scaled and scanned foot surfaces were 0.23 ± 0.09 mm. There was no significant difference for the hallux, medial forefoot, middle forefoot, midfoot, medial hindfoot, and lateral hindfoot, except for the lateral forefoot region ( p  = 0.045). The SFEM model evaluated slightly higher foot-orthoses interface pressure values than measured, with a maximum deviation of 7.1%. These results indicated that the SFEM technique could predict the barefoot and foot-orthoses interface pressure, which has the potential to expedite the process of orthotic design and optimization. Graphical abstract