Female Foot Model for High-Heeled Shoe Design - Computational Biomechanics of the Musculoskeletal System - page 26

and experimental measurements were less than 3 mm in the anterior-posterior direction and 2 mm
in the medial-lateral direction.
Foot deformations during balanced standing on four different heel heights are demonstrated in
Figure 2.5. In all cases, the foot was aligned with the curve of the foot support. The maximum foot
adduction angle among all conditions was less than 2 degrees. The plantar pressure distributions
during balanced standing on three different high-heeled foot supports from FE predictions and
F-scan measurements are compared in Figure 2.6. These measurements were, in general, compa-
rable, but the FE model predicted a slightly larger magnitude. The peak plantar pressure region
shifted from the central heel region to the central forefoot region with a 3-inch heel for both FE and
F-scan measurements.
There was a general increase in maximum von Mises stress in foot bones with increasing heel
height. The peak von Mises stresses in major bones with different high-heeled foot supports are
compared in Figure 2.7. Peak von Mises stress appeared at the plantar junction of the calcaneal-
cuboid joint. In the forefoot region, relatively high von Mises stresses concentrated at the second
to the fourth metatarsal shafts as well. From the FE predictions, an increase in heel height from
0 to 3 inches resulted in a decrease in arch deformation from 8.8 mm to 1.1 mm, which was con-
sistent with the measured trend of arch deformation (Figure 2.8). The FE-predicted strain and ten-
sion of the plantar fascia with different heel heights during balanced standing is shown in Figure
2.9. With a 2-inch heel, the strain and total tension force of plantar fascia was minimum in all
calculated cases.
It was found that wearing high-heeled shoes may help to reduce arch deformation of the weight-
bearing feet. There was a general increase in predicted maximum von Mises stress of foot bones
with increasing heel height from 0 to 3 inches. In the forefoot region, relatively high von Mises
stresses concentrated at the second to the fourth metatarsals. With 2-inch heels, the strain and total

(a) (b)

(c) (d)

FIgure 2.5 Foot deformations during balanced standing on different heel-height foot supports: (a) flat,
(b) 1-inch, (c) 2-inch, and (d) 3-inch.