A biomechanical model of the foot: the role of muscles,tendons, and ligaments

A biomechanical model of the foot is developed and analyzed to determine the distribution of support under the metatarsal heads, the tension in the plantar aponeurosis, and the bending moment at each of the joints of the foot. This model is an extension of our earlier work to include the role of muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Two cases are presented: in the first the center of gravity of the body is over the mid foot, and in the second, the center of gravity is anterior, over the metatarsals, and no support is provided by the heel. The model shows the extent to which the muscles reduce the force in the supporting ligaments at each of the joints and decrease the tension in the plantar aponeurosis, and that this effect is more pronounced when the center of gravity of the body is moved forward.