Flatfoot and normal foot a comparative analysis of the stress shielding

Objective: this study aims to develop a comprehensive 3D FE model of the foot to investigate the effect of soft tissue stiffness on the plantar pressure distributions and the internal load transfer between bony structures.Methods: the stress shielding occurring on the plantar surface of a flatfoot was investigated and compared with the mechanical behavior of a healthy foot, trough baropodometric analyses and the FE models.Results: the flatfoot evidences a more intensive stress-shielding map with significant values of pressure acting on the medial plantar fascia.Conclusion: Clinically and radiographically, symptomatic adult flatfoot is a complex abnormality involving all three dimensions and multiple joints within the foot.