Abstract:
The foot plays a crucial role in locomotion, impact bearing, and vertical stability
and hence disruptions to the foot biomechanics can be detrimental to a person's
ability to carry out daily activities. Foot disorders and pathologies can cause
alterations in the overall foot and lower limb biomechanics. This thesis develops
and applies a methodology using computational and experimental methods to
analyse the lower limb biomechanics. The biomechanical analysis allowed foot
pressure, stress and other changes that occur during gait due to pathology to be
identi ed. The developed methods were implemented on obese subjects to characterise
changes in the lower limb biomechanics caused due to increased loading
following which some computational studies were carried out to further characterise
the link between obesity and osteoarthritis. Finally, a subject speci c
modelling method is explored in order to take the initial methodology which is
purely a research solution into one that may be used in a clinical setting. The
ndings of this study highlight the importance of studying the foot biomechanics
as a whole whilst undertaking biomechanical studies, as the lower limb is a chain
where problems occurring at the foot can be observed higher up in the lower
limb and vice versa. The results of this study suggest that alterations in the foot
posture are a key indicator of increased internal stress and pressure. The data
collected for this thesis was from a South Asian (Sri Lankan) population, and
hence a useful data-set for future comparison with the large body of European
data currently available has been obtained.
Citation:
Kathirgamanathan, B. (2019). Development of a customised protocol for diagnosis and treatment of obesity specific foot biomechanics [Master’s theses, University of Moratuwa]. Institutional Repository University of Moratuwa. http://dl.lib.mrt.ac.lk/handle/123/15813