Article

This study presents a specific description of forefoot deformation during the
stance phase of normal human walking based on the combined analysis of pressure
and three-dimensional optoelectronic measurements. Forefoot deformation is
measured in forty healthy subjects using (1) a six-camera motion capture system
(sampled at 250 Hz) tracking five reflective skin markers attached to the
forefoot, (2) a pressure platform (sampled at 500 Hz) and (3) a forceplate
(sampled at 1250 Hz). Forefoot deformation is characterized by the forefoot
width, the mediolateral metatarsal arch height and the plantar pressure under the
metatarsal heads. Using this setup, a typical pattern of forefoot motion is
described during stance phase: From a flexible, compliant configuration at the
beginning of stance phase, characterized by a decrease in mediolateral metatarsal
arch height and a controlled increase in forefoot width, the forefoot turns into
a stable configuration during midstance. Subsequently, the increase in
mediolateral arch height and the decrease in forefoot width describe the
transformation into a tight configuration during final stance. This transfer from
a compliant into a rigid configuration through stance phase rejects the idea of
the forefoot as a collapsing structure under increased loading.
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Langue : ANGLAIS