HEEL PAD ANALYSIS DURING TERMINAL STANCE PHASE OF A GAIT CYCLE: LOADING AND UNLOADING CONDITIONS

Plantar heel pain (PHP) is the most common problem experienced by most individuals. The overweight and obese people are more inclined to musculoskeletal foot disorders or PHP. While conventional methods can measure stiffness and thickness to analyze heel pads (HP), they are ineffective in assessing HP under natural dynamic conditions. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the HP in real-time during dynamic plantarflexion movement (baseline, unloading, and loading) using a 3D motion capture system and an indigenous force plate. A total of fifteen healthy participants were selected based on their BMI and categorized into normal weight (NW), overweight (OW), and obese (OB) categories. The retroreflective markers were placed on the HP region, and volunteers were asked to perform plantarflexion movements. The biomechanical output measures, such as stiffness and displacement of HP, were calculated and compared between groups. Statistical analysis was performed and validated based on significant differences. The study reveals that the stiffness of HP increases with an increase in BMI, which eventually causes heel pain in OB participants. Based on the stiffness and deformation in the soft tissues of HP, the study results can be used to design a suitable sole to improve comfort and reduce heel pain.