Effects of internal stress concentrations in plantar soft-tissue—A preliminary three-dimensional finite element analysis

• Published in: Medical engineering & physics Vol. 32; no. 4; pp. 324 - 331
• Main Authors: Chen, Wen-Ming, Lee, Taeyong, Lee, Peter Vee-Sin, Lee, Jin Woo, Lee, Sung-Jae
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.05.2010; Elsevier
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Biomechanical Phenomena; Biomechanics. Biorheology; Cartilage - diagnostic imaging; Cartilage - physiology; Connective Tissue - diagnostic imaging; Connective Tissue - physiology; Diabetic Foot - diagnostic imaging; Diabetic Foot - physiopathology; Elastic Modulus; Fasciitis, Plantar - diagnostic imaging; Fasciitis, Plantar - physiopathology; Finite Element Analysis; Finite element model; Foot - diagnostic imaging; Foot - physiology; Foot plantar soft-tissue; Foot Ulcer - diagnostic imaging; Foot Ulcer - physiopathology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Imaging, Three-Dimensional; Internal tissue stresses; Ligaments - diagnostic imaging; Ligaments - physiology; Models, Biological; Nonlinear Dynamics; Radiology; Sesamoid Bones - diagnostic imaging; Sesamoid Bones - physiology; Soft Tissue Injuries - diagnostic imaging; Soft Tissue Injuries - physiopathology; Stress concentration; Stress, Mechanical; Tissues, organs and organisms biophysics; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Weight-Bearing - physiology; Stress concentration; Internal tissue stresses; Finite element model; Foot plantar soft-tissue; Human; Lower limb; Modeling; Foot; Biomechanics; Finite element method; Foot sole; Three dimensional model; Mechanical stress; Soft tissue; Biomedical engineering
• ISSN: 1350-4533; 1873-4030
• DOI: 10.1016/j.medengphy.2010.01.001

Abstract It has been hypothesized that diabetic foot ulceration might be internally initiated. This study established a three-dimensional and nonlinear finite element model of a human foot complex with comprehensive skeletal and soft-tissue components. The model was validated by experimental data of subject-specific barefoot plantar pressure measurements. The feasibility of the model to predict the 3D, internal, plantar soft-tissue deformation and stress was evaluated. The preliminary results indicate that large von Mises stress occurs where plantar soft-tissue contacts with geometrically irregular bony structures, thus internal stress distribution within the plantar soft-tissue was dramatically influenced by bony prominences due to stress concentration. At the forefoot part, an average stress magnification factor of 3.01 was quantified. The lateral sesamoid bone associated to the 1st MTH showed the largest effect of stress concentration. The modeling approach presented provides a possible way to explore the complexity of the mechanical environment inside the plantar soft-tissue.