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

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 infl..