Background Lateral wedge insoles have consistently shown to reduce the external knee adduction moment (EKAM) in medial knee osteoarthritis (OA) patients; although there is evidence that certain patients have a paradoxical increase in EKAM. This may be a key factor in determining clinical response and thus identifying and understanding why these patients increase EKAM is critical for prescribing...

INTRODUCTION Few studies regarding foot changes and health of professional coconut tree climbers of south India are reported. Medical emergencies are very common, especially due to accidental fall from coconut trees, while on job. Objective of the present study is to analyze the altered biomechanics of lower limb joints used by the coconut tree climbers. METHOD Videographs of tree climbing ea...

As with many other aspects of the foot, the rheumatoid foot, historically, has been treated symptomatically. If there is a painful tenosynovitis, synovectomy; a painful joint not responding to drug treatment, fusion; bony prominences (including metatarsal heads), excision; if the structure collapses, a valgus 'insole'; and if all else fails, bespoke footwear and discharge. But is this good enou...

The human foot is characterized by a pronounced longitudinal arch (LA) that compresses and recoils in response to external load during locomotion, allowing for storage and return of elastic energy within the passive structures of the arch and contributing to metabolic energy savings. Here, we examine the potential for active muscular contribution to the biomechanics of arch deformation and reco...

The design of a knee joint is a key issue in robotics and biomechanics to improve the compatibility between prosthesis and human movements and to improve the bipedal robot performances. We propose a novel design for the knee joint of a planar bipedal robot, based on a four-bar linkage. The dynamic model of the planar bipedal robot is calculated. We design walking reference trajectories with dou...

Foot-ground interfaces exist in many different forms. Frequently the interface is a shoe or floor mat, and sometimes it is a carpet-like material, such as an Astroturf, providing specific biomechanical characteristics to help one perform effectively. Hence these interfaces can play an important role in improving functionality or performance, preventing injury, and reducing discomfort. Human mov...

The design of a knee joint is a key issue in robotics and biomechanics to improve the compatibility between prosthesis and human movements and to improve the bipedal robot performances. We propose a novel design for the knee joint of a planar bipedal robot, based on a four-bar linkage. The dynamic model of the planar bipedal robot is calculated. We design walking reference trajectories with dou...

Background Gold standard for the management of diabetic foot neuropathic ulcers is the irremovable total contact cast, however evidence of equal clinical effectiveness was proved for the removable walker OPTIMA DIAB [1]. Priority of this healing treatment is the offloading of the ulcerated foot area; however, the healing process may last for months, and eventual changes in gait biomechanics may...