Numerical Simulation by Finite Elements for Redistribution of Plantar Pressure in Sport Insoles

Resumen

There are different factors that can cause an injury during the execution of a sport activity, intrinsic elements such as weight, age, height and extrinsic factors, such as type of soil, equipment and footwear. One of the main components of footwear is the insole, which is responsible for contact with the foot, these can have different purposes, such as odor control, plantar arch support, reduce pain, humidity control, cushioning, among others. Based on CAE, Finite Element Analysis (FEA) has become a very popular tool thanks to its versatility and accuracy for modeling different footwear components. The aim of this project is to do a numerical simulation by finite element analysis to prove the redistribution of plantar pressure using insoles of different materials that integrate the anthropometric characteristics of the user. The protocols were created to evaluate the baropodometric characteristics with a Baropodometer and a PodoScan2D (Sensor Medica®). The insole was designed using ABAQUS CAE student version and six materials were tested to obtain their mechanical properties using a universal testing machine (Instron), the combination that best redistributes the plantar pressure was found applying this methodology.