Effects of Custom-Made Insole Materials on Frictional Stress and Contact Pressure in Diabetic Foot with Neuropathy: Results from a Finite Element Analysis

Offloading plantar pressure in a diabetic foot with neuropathy is challenging in conventional clinical practice. Custom-made insole (CMI) materials play an important role in plantar pressure reduction, but the assessment is costly and time-consuming. Finite element analysis (FEA) can provide an effi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Applied sciences 2021-04, Vol.11 (8), p.3412
Main Authors: Nouman, Muhammad, Dissaneewate, Tulaya, Chong, Desmond Y. R., Chatpun, Surapong
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biomechanics
Contact pressure
Contact stresses
custom-made insole
Design
Diabetes
Diabetes mellitus
Fabrication
Feet
Finite element analysis
Finite element method
Foot diseases
frictional stress
Hemoglobin
insole materials
Insoles
Leg ulcers
Materials selection
Metatarsus
peak plantar pressure
Plantar pressure
Pressure
Pressure distribution
Pressure effects
Pressure reduction
Research methodology
Stress concentration
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Summary:Offloading plantar pressure in a diabetic foot with neuropathy is challenging in conventional clinical practice. Custom-made insole (CMI) materials play an important role in plantar pressure reduction, but the assessment is costly and time-consuming. Finite element analysis (FEA) can provide an efficient evaluation of different insoles on the plantar pressure distribution. This study investigated the effect of CMI materials and their combinations on plantar pressure reduction for the diabetic foot with neuropathy using FEA. The study was conducted by constructing a three-dimensional foot model along with CMI to study the peak contact pressure between the foot and CMI. The softer material (E = 5 MPa) resulted in a better reduction of peak contact pressure compared with the stiffer material (E = 11 MPa). The plantar pressure was well redistributed with softer material compared with the stiffer material and its combination. In addition, the single softer material resulted in reduced frictional stress under the first metatarsal head compared with the stiffer material and the combination of materials. The softer material and its combination have a beneficial effect on plantar pressure reduction and redistribution for a diabetic foot with neuropathy. This study provided an effective approach for CMI material selection using FEA.
ISSN:2076-3417
2076-3417
DOI:10.3390/app11083412