Walking with individualized 3D-printed minimal footwear increases foot strength and produces subtle changes in unroll pattern

IntroductionThis 5-month follow-up study, involving 66 subjects (38 intervention, 28 control; 34 females, 32 males), evaluated the biomechanics of walking while wearing bespoke, 3D-printed footwear.MethodsA 3D scanner was used to obtain foot shape, which was subsequently modified to yield a suitable instep and additional room in the forefoot and toe areas, to allow for potential shape changes of the foot. Shoes were manufactured using TPU laser sintering. Pre (T0) and post (T1) the intervention, plantar pressures were collected using a plantar pressure plate (3 trials per foot) and toe flexor strength (5 trials per foot) was measured using a dynamometer, for control and intervention groups. Plantar pressure peak patterns and center-of-pressure (CoP) timing was analysed using 2D and 1D Statistical Parametric Mapping, respectively. Toe strength changes were expressed in percent and per individual as: 100 x ((strength@T1strength@T0) / strength@T0).ResultsPeak pressure distribution did not differ between control and intervention populations, or between T0 and T1. Center-of-pressure unroll differed between barefoot and shod conditions at T0 for the intervention group. When barefoot, the intervention group at T1 showed a more lateral CoP in early stance and a more anterior CoP in late stance compared to T0. In the intervention group, toe strength increased significantly by 48.5% between T0 and T1.DiscussionOverall, the results indicate that the bespoke, 3D-printed footwear did not significantly affect peak pressure distribution compared to barefoot walking. However, center-of-pressure patterns during gait were influenced, particularly in the intervention group, with analysis indicative of barefoot subjects' CoP moving faster in early and mid-stance than when shod. Additionally, the intervention led to a significant increase in toe strength. These findings contribute to our understanding of the biomechanical effects of customized 3D-printed footwear and highlight the potential benefits of such interventions in improving foot function and strength

Marches bipède et quadrupède du babouin olive (Papio anubis) : activité musculaire comparée et perspectives évolutives

La marche bipède humaine est particulièrement raffinée et efficace. Les primates non-humains (PNHs), quant à eux, utilisent la bipédie occasionnellement au sein d’un répertoire posturo-locomoteur souvent varié. Dans le contexte de l’évolution des modes locomoteurs chez les primates (incluant les hominines), une hypothèse suggère l’existence d’un mécanisme de contrôle basique et similaire en bipédie et en quadrupédie. La tester nécessite une observation directe de l’activité musculaire liée à ..

Fossil footprints in the Gombore gully (Melka Kunture, Upper Awash, Ethiopia): A rare snapshot of Pleistocene life and environments

Gombore is a gully of the Melka Kunture archaeological complex in the Upper Awash Valley of Ethiopia. In recent years fossil footprints were brought to light within layers with middle Acheulean lithic industry, or stratigraphically related to them. This is the first time that Pleistocene ichnosurfaces are reported from Ethiopia. Many animal footprints belong to species underrepresented or not represented at all in the fossil record, producing a diversified picture of the prevailing animal community. Overall, hippos, bovids, suids, equids, birds, and possibly a small carnivore and a large lizard are all documented. Hippo footprints are numerous and excellently preserved. This enabled to make casts recording the outer appearance of the leg and foot. A 700.000-year old hippo trail was also discovered and documented [1]. We believe that it was the result of tramping following established trails from resting places to grazing spots, indicating the long ancestry of a behaviour still observed today. Hominins also left direct evidence, i.e. cranial remains, and footprints. The fossil remains, at 850 ka [2], are assigned to a direct ancestor of Homo heidelbergensis [3], the species that we assume produced the 700ka-old footprints of a group including both adults and young children. The associated archaeological and palaeontological record confirms that stone knapping was taking placein situ and that lithic tools were used for butchering hippo carcasses at the site. Most notably, young children – possibly as young as 1-year old, and maybe even less - were standing and witnessing [4]. At 0.85 Ma, furthermore, footprints of young hominins have been found in layers without any associated archaeological record [5]. Footprints are a first-hand source to reconstruct past environments. They provide direct evidence of the behavioral patterns of extinct species, including hominins. We underline that during fieldwork attention should be routinely provided to ichnological evidence, in order to identify and investigate this precious but fragile record with a specific methodology and a documentation protocol supported by technologies such as laser scanning and photogrammetr

Timed loaded standing in female chronic fatigue syndrome compared with other populations

Abstract: Patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), like patients with osteoporosis, have similar difficulties in standing and sitting. The aim of the study was to compare combined trunk and arm endurance among women with CFS (n = 72), women with osteoporosis (n = 30), nondisabled women (n = 55), and women from non-industrialized countries (n = 58) using the timed loaded standing (TLS) test. TLS measures how long a person can hold a 1 kg dumbbell in each hand in front of him or her with straight arms. TLS was higher in the industrialized nondisabled population than in the non-industrialized study population (p < 0.001) and in patients with osteoporosis (p = 0.002). TLS was lower in patients with CFS than in nondisabled controls (p < 0.001). After adjusting for age, body height, and weight, combined trunk and arm endurance was even lower in CFS than in osteoporotic patients more than 25 yr old (p < 0.001). In CFS, TLS was lower than in the non-industrialized group (p = 0.02). Since only women were studied, external validity of the results is limited to adult female patients with CFS. TLS revealed a specific biomechanical weakness in CFS patients that can be taken into account from the onset of a rehabilitation program. We propose that influencing the quality, rather than the quantity, of movement could be used in the rehabilitation