Biomechanical Effects of Worn-Out Shoe Outsoles and Insoles on the Human Foot

The combination of outsole, midsole and insole layers of new shoes provide proper cushioning to the foot during the daily activities of life. Subsequently, the wear-based degeneration or damage to one or more of these sole layers can reduce the cushioning effect to the plantar surface of the foot. This reduction of cushioning effect can impact the distribution of stress concentration regions along the foot plantar surfaces and lead to foot pathologies. The present proposed research intends to study these effects of shoe-wear on the plantar surface of the human foot, using FEA (ABAQUS) and experimental methods. Commonly, the worn-out zones of shoes are observed as flattened shoe soles around the forefoot region, heel, medial or lateral zones. The proposed research intends to simulate the effect of gait-based loading on a human foot geometry, when applied through the multiple layers of worn-out soles, compared to that of a new shoe sole geometry. The gait-based loading on the geometry shall be obtained from the data captured from a force platform.