Low-Rate Ankle Stiffness in Human Volunteers

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Authors: Julia Polich, Kaitlin Henry, Garrett Bullock, Paula Gangopadhyay, Aaron Scott, and Kerry Danelson —Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation/Atrium Health Musculoskeletal Institute; Erika Matheis—Bennett Aerospace Inc., Contractor to US Army Research Laboratory; Michael Tegtmeyer—DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory; John Bolte IV—Ohio State University, Injury Biomechanics Research Center

Abstract

Military footwear design provides important foot and ankle support for military personnel. To assess these features, an ankle-support testing methodology and a foot-ankle surrogate must be developed. Fifty-two healthy volunteers (25 male/27 female) with no history of prior ankle surgery, ankle sprain, or fracture were recruited. Their ankle stiffness (Nm/°) and range of motion (°) was quantified during low-velocity testing speeds to define the appropriate response for a human foot-ankle surrogate. The THOR 50th percentile male, Hybrid III 50th percentile male, and Hybrid III 5th percentile female anthropomorphic testing devices (ATD) were also evaluated against the human subject responses for biofidelity in plantar flexion, dorsiflexion, inversion, and eversion. The ATD models’ responses were statistically different from the human volunteer population responses. A more biofidelic foot-ankle surrogate should be designed and validated for use in ankle stability-testing methodology for evaluating footwear under these conditions.

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Type: Short Communication

© Stapp Association, 2023

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