Does obesity affect the biomechanics of the foot? A preliminary computational and experimental study

Obesity is becoming a widely prevalent issue worldwide. The excessive loading placed on the foot due to obesity can cause damage to the soft tissue and musculoskeletal structure which leads to foot discomfort and the development of foot pathologies. Experimental and computational methods of analysis were combined in this study to analyse the effects of obesity on the foot. It has been shown previously that foot pathology often starts subcutaneously and spreads towards the foot plantar. Hence the effect of obesity on the biomechanical behaviour of the foot was studied through an internal study of the bone structure using the modelling technique of finite element analysis. A 3-D anatomically correct model of a foot was created using density segmentation techniques reconstructed from Magnetic Resonance (MR) images. A non-linear finite element analysis of the reconstructed foot during balanced standing was conducted. The biomechanical differences were further classified through an external study of the foot using a gait measuring system. The finite element model of the obese foot suggests greater peak contact pressure. Experimental results suggest reduced joint angles and adjustments in the gait pattern. Preliminary results show that some differences in the biomechanical behaviour of the obese and non-obese feet are present where obese subjects compensate for the greater loading through changes in their gait.