Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering Commons^™

The Development Of A Viscoelastic Ellipsoidal Model For Use In Measuring Plantar Tissue Material Properties During Walking, Jessica Lee Deberardinis

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Introduction: The mechanical characteristics of the plantar tissues during walking is not well understood as most of the current research focuses on testing specific plantar regions in cadavers or while the feet of the participants are raised. In this work, it is hypothesized that a viscoelastic geometric ellipsoid model used to assess multiple structures of the foot would be accurate and robust. This model would be participant-specific and applicable to the entire stance phase of gait.

Methods: The proposed viscoelastic ellipsoid model would represent several key anatomical areas: Heel, Posterior Midfoot, Anterior Midfoot, Metatarsals 1-2, Metatarsals 3-5, Toe 1, Toe …