Applications of Finite Element Modeling in Biomechanical Analysis of Foot Arch Deformation: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Excessive foot arch deformation is associated with plantar tissue overload and ligamentous injury pathologies. Finite element (FE) analysis, as an effective tool for modeling and simulation, has been utilized clinically for providing insights into arch biomechanics. This systematic scoping review aimed to present an updated overview of computational foot modeling for pathology-related arch biomechanics and shed light on their applicability in clinical conditions. English-language searches of the electronic databases were conducted in the Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus until July 2022. Articles that investigated arch deformation mechanisms by FE modeling were included. Any studies involving extrinsic manipulations (e.g., footwear, insoles, and arch orthoses) and intrinsic manipulations (e.g., implants and surgical intervention) were excluded from this review. The MQSSFE instrument was used to assess methodological quality. Seventeen articles were identified in this systematic scoping review and were categorized into two groups, FE modeling of the healthy foot and the pathological foot, for further analysis. Most of the existing FE analyses of the foot arch have focused on constructing models for specific pathological conditions, such as adult-acquired flatfoot, valgus foot, and posterior tibial tendinopathy. However, given the complexity of the arch problem, geometric simplifications and linear assumptions of material properties might bring challenges in the formulation of exact models applied to clinical settings. Overall, advances in computational modeling techniques have contributed to reliable foot deformation simulation and analysis in modern personalized medicine.

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