The foot and ankle structures reveal emergent properties analogous to passive springs during human walking.

ABSTRACT: An objective understanding of human foot and ankle function can drive innovations of bio-inspired wearable devices. Specifically, knowledge regarding how mechanical force and work are produced within the human foot-ankle structures can help determine what type of materials or components are required to engineer devices. In this study, we characterized the combined functions of the foot and ankle structures during walking by synthesizing the total force, displacement, and work profiles from structures distal to the shank. Eleven healthy adults walked at four scaled speeds. We quantified the ground reaction force and center-of-pressure displacement in the shank's coordinate system during stance phase and the total mechanical work done by these structures. This comprehensive analysis revealed

SUBMITTER: Hedrick EA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6555524 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature