The biomechanical responses of knee joint to foot supports : computational simulation of the lower limb

Abstract

The primary objective of this study is to establish a comprehensive finite element model of the human knee–ankle–foot to quantify the biomechanical responses of knee structures to various foot supports in gait. Laterally wedged insoles(LWI) were fabricated for interventions. Gait analyses were performed to obtain input information for the muscle model and finite element model. Muscle model was also applied to provide muscle loading boundaries in each foot support condition for the finite element model. The simulation results indicated that LWI diminished the contact pressure at the medial meniscus and femoral cartilage.