Foot Transverse Arch Instability Following Sequential Ligament Sectioning between the First Cuneiform and the Second Metatarsal£

Foot Arches play important roles in weight bearing and propulsion. However biomechanics of human foot transverse arch is far from being well understood and controversies still exist. In this paper six fresh-frozen cadaveric feet were loaded from 0N to 1200N with 200N intervals, following sequential sectioning ligaments between the first cuneiform and the second metatarsal from dorsal to plantar. Physical informations of foot transverse arch, i.e. bone displacement, bone surface strain and plantar pressure were gathered and then analyzed. The results presented a multi-field look into the stability of human foot transverse arch contributed by the three ligaments and disclosed interosseous ligament, i.e. Lisfanc ligament, paid more importance to foot transverse arch stability than the other two. This research aimed at fostering well understanding of biomechanics of foot transverse arch and promoting further fundamental biomechanical research relating to low energy ligamentous injuries in midfoot.