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Shiotani H, Mizokuchi T, Yamashita R, Naito M, Kawakami Y. Influence of Body Mass on Running-Induced Changes in Mechanical Properties of Plantar Fascia. J Strength Cond Res 2023; 37:e588-e592. [PMID: 37099441 PMCID: PMC10599803 DOI: 10.1519/jsc.0000000000004536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/27/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Shiotani, H, Mizokuchi, T, Yamashita, R, Naito, M, and Kawakami, Y. Influence of body mass on running-induced changes in mechanical properties of plantar fascia. J Strength Cond Res 37(11): e588-e592, 2023-Body mass is a major risk factor for plantar fasciopathy; however, evidence explaining the process between risk factors and injury development is limited. Long-distance running induces transient and site-specific reduction in plantar fascia (PF) stiffness, reflecting mechanical fatigue and microscopic damage within the tissue. As greater mechanical loads can induce greater reduction in tissue stiffness, we hypothesized that the degree of running-induced change in PF stiffness is associated with body mass. Ten long-distance male runners (age: 21 - 23 years, body mass: 55.5 ± 4.2 kg; mean ± SD ) and 10 untrained men (age: 20 - 24 years, body mass: 58.4 ± 5.6 kg) ran for 10 km. Before and immediately after running, the shear wave velocity (SWV) of PF at the proximal site, which is an index of tissue stiffness, was measured using ultrasound shear wave elastography. Although the PF SWV significantly decreased after running in runners (-4.0%, p = 0.010) and untrained men (-21.9%, p < 0.001), runners exhibited smaller changes ( p < 0.001). The relative changes in SWV significantly correlated with body mass in both runners ( r = -0.691, p = 0.027) and untrained individuals ( r = -0.723, p = 0.018). These results indicate that a larger body mass is associated with a greater reduction in PF stiffness. Our findings provide in vivo evidence of the biomechanical basis for body mass as a risk factor for plantar fasciopathy. Furthermore, group differences suggest possible factors that reduce the fatigue responses, such as adaptation enhancing the resilience of PF and running mechanics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroto Shiotani
- Faculty of Sport Sciences, Waseda University, Saitama, Japan
- Human Performance Laboratory, Comprehensive Research Organization, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
| | | | - Ryo Yamashita
- School of Sport Sciences, Waseda University, Saitama, Japan; and
| | - Munekazu Naito
- Human Performance Laboratory, Comprehensive Research Organization, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Anatomy, Aichi Medical University, Aichi, Japan
| | - Yasuo Kawakami
- Faculty of Sport Sciences, Waseda University, Saitama, Japan
- Human Performance Laboratory, Comprehensive Research Organization, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
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Davis DJ, Challis JH. Characterizing the mechanical function of the foot's arch across steady-state gait modes. J Biomech 2023; 151:111529. [PMID: 36913798 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2023.111529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023]
Abstract
The arch of the human foot has historically been likened to either a truss, a rigid lever, or a spring. Growing evidence indicates that energy is stored, generated, and dissipated actively by structures crossing the arch, suggesting that the arch can further function in a motor- or spring-like manner. In the present study, participants walked, ran with a rearfoot strike pattern, and ran with a non-rearfoot strike pattern overground while foot segment motions and ground reaction forces were recorded. To quantify the midtarsal joint's (i.e., arch's) mechanical behavior, a brake-spring-motor index was defined as the ratio between midtarsal joint net work and the total magnitude of joint work. This index was statistically significantly different between each gait condition. Index values decreased from walking to rearfoot strike running to non-rearfoot strike running, indicating that the midtarsal joint was most motor-like when walking and most spring-like in non-rearfoot running. The mean magnitude of elastic strain energy stored in the plantar aponeurosis mirrored the increase in spring-like arch function from walking to non-rearfoot strike running. However, the behavior of the plantar aponeurosis could not account for a more motor-like arch in walking and rearfoot strike running, given the lack of main effect of gait condition on the ratio between net work and total work performed by force in the plantar aponeurosis about the midtarsal joint. Instead, the muscles of the foot are likely altering the motor-like mechanical function of the foot's arch, the operation of these muscles between gait conditions warrants further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J Davis
- Biomechanics Laboratory, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, USA.
| | - John H Challis
- Biomechanics Laboratory, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, USA
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SHIOTANI HIROTO, TAKAHASHI KATSUKI, HONMA YUKI, TOMARI KAZUKI, HAYASHI HIDETAKA, SADO NATSUKI, KAWAKAMI YASUO. Mechanical Linkage between Achilles Tendon and Plantar Fascia Accounts for Range of Motion of Human Ankle-Foot Complex. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2023; 55:66-73. [PMID: 35977106 PMCID: PMC9770132 DOI: 10.1249/mss.0000000000003020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE The human ankle-foot complex possesses a passive range of motion (ROM) through changes in tibiocalcaneal ( θcal ) and foot arch ( θarch ) angles. Based on the anatomical linkage between the Achilles tendon (AT) and plantar fascia (PF), we hypothesized that AT and PF with different mechanical properties conjointly modulate the passive ROM of the human ankle-foot complex. We examined the association of AT and PF stiffness with passive ankle-foot ROM and further addressed differences between sexes. METHODS A series of sagittal magnetic resonance images of the foot and passive ankle plantar flexion torque were obtained for 20 men and 20 women with their ankle-foot passively rotated from 30° of plantar flexion to 20° of dorsiflexion. Based on the measured changes in AT and PF lengths, θcal , θarch , and passive torque, AT and PF stiffness were determined. RESULTS Upon passive ankle dorsiflexion, AT and PF were lengthened; their length changes were inversely correlated. Men showed a stiffer AT, more compliant PF, less calcaneal rotation, and greater foot arch deformation compared with women. Furthermore, we found inverse correlations between AT stiffness and ROM of θcal , and between PF stiffness and ROM of θarch in men and women. CONCLUSIONS Passive AT and PF extensibility counter each other. AT and PF stiffness and passive ROM of ankle-foot components were countered between sexes; however, associations between stiffness and passive ROM of the ankle-foot complex were consistent between sexes. Our findings support the notion that the balanced mechanical interaction between the AT and PF can account for the passive ROM of the human ankle-foot complex in vivo , and the differences between sexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- HIROTO SHIOTANI
- Faculty of Sport Sciences, Waseda University, Tokorozawa, JAPAN,Human Performance Laboratory, Comprehensive Research Organization of Waseda University, Tokyo, JAPAN
| | - KATSUKI TAKAHASHI
- Graduate School of Sport Sciences, Waseda University, Tokorozawa, JAPAN,Research Fellow of Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Tokyo, JAPAN
| | - YUKI HONMA
- Graduate School of Sport Sciences, Waseda University, Tokorozawa, JAPAN
| | - KAZUKI TOMARI
- Graduate School of Sport Sciences, Waseda University, Tokorozawa, JAPAN
| | - HIDETAKA HAYASHI
- Graduate School of Sport Sciences, Waseda University, Tokorozawa, JAPAN
| | - NATSUKI SADO
- Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, JAPAN
| | - YASUO KAWAKAMI
- Faculty of Sport Sciences, Waseda University, Tokorozawa, JAPAN,Human Performance Laboratory, Comprehensive Research Organization of Waseda University, Tokyo, JAPAN
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Nozaki S, Kinugasa R, Yaeshima K, Hashimoto T, Jinzaki M, Ogihara N. Quantification of the in vivo stiffness and natural length of the human plantar aponeurosis during quiet standing using ultrasound elastography. Sci Rep 2022; 12:15707. [PMID: 36127445 PMCID: PMC9489693 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-20211-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to identify the stiffness and natural length of the human plantar aponeurosis (PA) during quiet standing using ultrasound shear wave elastography. The shear wave velocity (SWV) of the PA in young healthy males and females (10 participants each) was measured by placing a probe in a hole in the floor plate. The change in the SWV with the passive dorsiflexion of the metatarsophalangeal (MP) joint was measured. The Young's modulus of the PA was estimated to be 64.7 ± 9.4 kPa, which exponentially increased with MP joint dorsiflexion. The PA was estimated to have the natural length when the MP joint was plantarflexed by 13.8°, indicating that the PA is stretched by arch compression during standing. However, the present study demonstrated that the estimated stiffness for the natural length in quiet standing was significantly larger than that in the unloaded condition, revealing that the PA during standing is stiffened by elongation and through the possible activation of intrinsic muscles. Such quantitative information possibly contributes to the detailed biomechanical modeling of the human foot, facilitating an improved understanding of the mechanical functions and pathogenetic mechanisms of the PA during movements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuhei Nozaki
- Laboratory of Human Evolutionary Biomechanics, Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo, Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan.
| | - Ryuta Kinugasa
- Department of Human Sciences, Kanagawa University, Kanagawa, 221-8686, Japan
| | - Katsutoshi Yaeshima
- Department of Human Sciences, Kanagawa University, Kanagawa, 221-8686, Japan
| | - Takeshi Hashimoto
- Sports Medicine Research Center, Keio University, Kanagawa, 223-8521, Japan
| | - Masahiro Jinzaki
- Department of Radiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, 160-8582, Japan
| | - Naomichi Ogihara
- Laboratory of Human Evolutionary Biomechanics, Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo, Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan.
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Davis DJ, Challis JH. Foot arch rigidity in walking: In vivo evidence for the contribution of metatarsophalangeal joint dorsiflexion. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0274141. [PMID: 36074770 PMCID: PMC9455856 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0274141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Human foot rigidity is thought to provide a more effective lever with which to push against the ground. Tension of the plantar aponeurosis (PA) with increased metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint dorsiflexion (i.e., the windlass mechanism) has been credited with providing some of this rigidity. However, there is growing debate on whether MTP joint dorsiflexion indeed increases arch rigidity. Further, the arch can be made more rigid independent of additional MTP joint dorsiflexion (e.g., when walking with added mass). The purpose of the present study was therefore to compare the influence of increased MTP joint dorsiflexion with the influence of added mass on the quasi-stiffness of the midtarsal joint in walking. Participants walked with a rounded wedge under their toes to increase MTP joint dorsiflexion in the toe-wedge condition, and wore a weighted vest with 15% of their body mass in the added mass condition. Plantar aponeurosis behavior, foot joint energetics, and midtarsal joint quasi-stiffness were compared between conditions to analyze the mechanisms and effects of arch rigidity differences. Midtarsal joint quasi-stiffness was increased in the toe-wedge and added mass conditions compared with the control condition (both p < 0.001). In the toe-wedge condition, the time-series profiles of MTP joint dorsiflexion and PA strain and force were increased throughout mid-stance (p < 0.001). When walking with added mass, the time-series profile of force in the PA did not increase compared with the control condition although quasi-stiffness did, supporting previous evidence that the rigidity of the foot can be actively modulated. Finally, more mechanical power was absorbed (p = 0.006) and negative work was performed (p < 0.001) by structures distal to the rearfoot in the toe-wedge condition, a condition which displayed increased midtarsal joint quasi-stiffness. This indicates that a more rigid foot may not necessarily transfer power to the ground more efficiently.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J. Davis
- The Biomechanics Laboratory, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - John H. Challis
- The Biomechanics Laboratory, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States of America
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Matsumoto Y, Ogihara N, Hanawa H, Kokubun T, Kanemura N. Novel Multi-Segment Foot Model Incorporating Plantar Aponeurosis for Detailed Kinematic and Kinetic Analyses of the Foot With Application to Gait Studies. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:894731. [PMID: 35814002 PMCID: PMC9265906 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.894731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Kinetic multi-segment foot models have been proposed to evaluate the forces and moments generated in the foot during walking based on inverse dynamics calculations. However, these models did not consider the plantar aponeurosis (PA) despite its potential importance in generation of the ground reaction forces and storage and release of mechanical energy. This study aimed to develop a novel multi-segment foot model incorporating the PA to better elucidate foot kinetics. The foot model comprised three segments: the phalanx, forefoot, and hindfoot. The PA was modeled using five linear springs connecting the origins and the insertions via intermediate points. To demonstrate the efficacy of the foot model, an inverse dynamic analysis of human gait was performed and how the inclusion of the PA model altered the estimated joint moments was examined. Ten healthy men walked along a walkway with two force plates placed in series close together. The attempts in which the participant placed his fore- and hindfoot on the front and rear force plates, respectively, were selected for inverse dynamic analysis. The stiffness and the natural length of each PA spring remain largely uncertain. Therefore, a sensitivity analysis was conducted to evaluate how the estimated joint moments were altered by the changes in the two parameters within a range reported by previous studies. The present model incorporating the PA predicted that 13%–45% of plantarflexion in the metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint and 8%–29% of plantarflexion in the midtarsal joints were generated by the PA at the time of push-off during walking. The midtarsal joint generated positive work, whereas the MTP joint generated negative work in the late stance phase. The positive and negative work done by the two joints decreased, indicating that the PA contributed towards transfer of the energy absorbed at the MTP joint to generate positive work at the midtarsal joint during walking. Although validation is limited due to the difficulty associated with direct measurement of the PA force in vivo, the proposed novel foot model may serve as a useful tool to clarify the function and mechanical effects of the PA and the foot during dynamic movements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuka Matsumoto
- Graduate School of Saitama Prefectural University, Graduate Course of Health and Social Services, Saitama, Japan
| | - Naomichi Ogihara
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroki Hanawa
- Department of Health Science, University of Human Arts and Sciences, Saitama, Japan
| | - Takanori Kokubun
- Department of Health and Social Services, Saitama Prefectural University, Saitama, Japan
| | - Naohiko Kanemura
- Department of Health and Social Services, Saitama Prefectural University, Saitama, Japan
- *Correspondence: Naohiko Kanemura,
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Track distance runners exhibit bilateral differences in the plantar fascia stiffness. Sci Rep 2021; 11:9260. [PMID: 33927340 PMCID: PMC8085187 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-88883-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2020] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Human steady-state locomotion modes are symmetrical, leading to symmetric mechanical function of human feet in general; however, track distance running in a counterclockwise direction exposes the runner’s feet to asymmetrical stress. This may induce asymmetrical adaptation in the runners’ foot arch functions, but this has not been experimentally tested. Here, we show that the plantar fascia (PF), a primary structure of the foot arch elasticity, is stiffer for the left than the right foot as a characteristic of runners, via a cross-sectional study on 10 track distance runners and 10 untrained individuals. Shear wave velocity (index of tissue stiffness: SWV) and thickness of PF and foot dimensions were compared between sides and groups. Runners showed higher PF SWV in their left (9.4 ± 1.0 m/s) than right (8.9 ± 0.9 m/s) feet, whereas untrained individuals showed no bilateral differences (8.5 ± 1.5 m/s and 8.6 ± 1.7 m/s, respectively). Additionally, runners showed higher left to right (L/R) ratio of PF SWV than untrained men (105.1% and 97.7%, respectively). PF thickness and foot dimensions were not significantly different between sides or groups. These results demonstrate stiffer PF in the left feet of runners, which may reflect adaptation to their running-specific training that involves asymmetrical mechanical loading.
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