Diabetes is one of the metabolic diseases. Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to diabetic foot ulcers and if it was not treated would lead to amputation. Foot ulcers can be prevented by using suitable insoles which are made of appropriate material and geometrically designed by constituent layers. In this study, single-layer and three-layer insoles have been compared during static and dynamic loading. The selected materials were silicone gel (SG), plastazote foam (PLZ), polyfoam (PF) and ethyl vinyl acetate foam (EVA). Four single-layer and 18 combinations of three-layer insoles were selected. Materials behaviors were determined by using a uniaxial pressure test. The description of stress and strain is obtained by using the model of three dimensional nonlinear Finite Element Method (FEM). Then samples were tested by using commercially available plantar pressure measurement system. The FEM results showed that the SG and PLZ insoles are more appropriate compared to single-layer insoles. The combinations of PLZ, SG and EVA (from top to bottom) are recognized as the best between three-layer insoles. Also the best three-layer insole is more effective in promoting a favourable stress and strain distribution than single-layer insoles, especially in dynamic mode. According to simulation results, three-layer insole decreases stress concentration by 9%. Also experimental tests showed that using three-layer insole decreases plantar pressure by 63% compared to barefoot condition bare foot.

Cushioning pads alleviate the effects of mechanical stress on the human body due to impacts and daily activities. One relevant application for such pads is orthopedic insoles used for diabetic foot to improve energy absorption and reduce stress gradient by using suitable materials and structures. This article considers a novel design that improves the energy absorption capabilities of cushioning pads. Experiments were conducted to evaluate the properties of the designed weft knitted spacer fabrics. Six groups of samples were knitted in which steel, polyamide, and shape memory alloy materials were utilized as spacer monofilament. Stress–strain, energy absorption and efficiency diagrams were obtained following the quasi-static compression tests carried out on the samples. Three investigation groups were adopted to evaluate the effect of the spacer monofilament material, diameter, and slope on energy absorption capacity. It was determined that shape memory alloy monofilament with 0.1 mm diameter was the optimum configuration to be utilized as spacer yarn in a typical 3D weft knitted fabric. It was also concluded that higher-inclined spacer monofilament in spacer fabric was the optimum choice for knitting cushioning pads as it absorbed more energy. The energy absorption capacity of the optimum design of spacer fabric obtained in this study, increased by a factor of 2.4 compared with commercial polyamide pads. This design can be utilized in any cushioning pad exposed to high mechanical stress due to impact, sports and daily activities.

To match the reflectance profile of desert colors including dark brown, light brown and olive green in the visible-near IR (Vis-NIR) bands, five selected colored pigments were utilized to print woven cotton/nylon fabrics. Multi-walled carbon nanotube particles (MWCNT's) were also added to some of the printing pastes. The reflectance of printed fabrics was evaluated by using spectrophotometric technique. The effect of adding MWCNT's, on washing; light and crocking fastness alongside with colorimetric values of printed samples was evaluated. Furthermore, the water absorption time was measured in order to determine wettability of each printed sample. The results demonstrated that the presence of MWCNT's in concentration range of 0.04-0.12 g kg 21 in printing formulations was found to cause considerable decline in Near Infrared (NIR) reflectance while a surprising increase in visible reflectance of samples was observed. Color characteristics of printed fabrics were noticeably changed even at concentrations as low as 0.12 g kg 21 MWCNTs in printing formulations. Presence of MWCNTs in printing formulations was found to cause a significant increase in wetting time of samples. Also, the results indicated that air permeability of printed samples containing MWCNT's were higher than samples printed with no MWCNTs. Phenomena imposed by MWCNT's presence on pigment printed samples showed very good fastness levels in crocking, washing and light fastness tests. In dark brown sample, adding MWCNTs to the pigment printing pastes could tune the overall reflectance in order to match the standard reflectance profile accepted for use in concealment color of desert areas. V C 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Col Res Appl, 40, 93-98, 2015;

In this study, based on kinematics data in steppage gait, a finite element model of human gait with ankle-foot orthosis (AFO) has been proposed to optimize the role of AFO through minimizing stress in the patients' sole. The required kinetics data for the model were captured through a force plate and then analysed by 3D-DOCTOR and ANSYS software. In the proposed three-dimensional finite element model the transmitted tension in soft tissue and bones during gait was calculated. By changing the thickness and materials of different layers of sole in AFO the tension variations have been assessed. Unlike previous studies, the effect of orthosis on tension generated in bones and muscles has been dynamically and continuously modelled and the contact between AFO and sole has been considered in this model. By using the optimized sole the stress distribution has been changed by +50.38% in the forefoot, +15% in the midfoot and -37.79% in the hindfoot. The tension reduction in the sole can improve the effect of AFO during abnormal gait. It is possible to design each orthosis sole based on the kinetics data of each patient.

BackgroundThe traction bed is a noninvasive device for treating lower back pain caused by herniated intervertebral discs. In this study, we investigated the impact of the traction bed on the lower back as a means of increasing the disc height and creating a gap between facet joints.MethodsComputed tomography (CT) images were obtained from a female volunteer and a three-dimensional (3D) model was created using software package MIMICs 17.0. Afterwards, the 3D model was analyzed in an analytical software (Abaqus 6.14). The study was conducted under the following traction loads: 25%, 45%, 55%, and 85% of the whole body weight in different angles.ResultsResults indicated that the loading angle in the L3–4 area had 36.8%, 57.4%, 55.32%, 49.8%, and 52.15% effect on the anterior longitudinal ligament, posterior longitudinal ligament, intertransverse ligament, interspinous ligament, and supraspinous ligament, respectively. The respective values for the L4–5 area were 32.3%, 10.6%, 53.4%, 56.58%, and 57.35%. Also, the body weight had 63.2%, 42.6%, 44.68%, 50.2%, and 47.85% effect on the anterior longitudinal ligament, posterior longitudinal ligament, intertransverse ligament, interspinous ligament, and supraspinous ligament, respectively. The respective values for the L4–5 area were 67.7%, 89.4%, 46.6%, 43.42% and 42.65%. The authenticity of results was checked by comparing with the experimental data.ConclusionsThe results show that traction beds are highly effective for disc movement and lower back pain relief. Also, an optimal angle for traction can be obtained in a 3D model analysis using CT or magnetic resonance imaging images. The optimal angle would be different for different patients and thus should be determined based on the decreased height of the intervertebral disc, weight and height of patients.

No abstract

No abstract

Transfemoral amputation (TFA) results in reduced sensation, altered body image and loss of function. Energy expenditure is known to be significantly higher in individuals with TFA compared with their healthy counterparts. Kinetic and kinematics characteristics of individuals with TFA have been evaluated; however, stability during quiet standing has not been examined. This study evaluated stability, gait performance and energy consumption in individuals with TFA during standing and walking. A total of subjects (5 healthy and 5 with TFA) participated in this study. The motion of lower limb joints and the force applied on the leg were evaluated using a motion analysis system, Qualysis. Stability during standing was examined using a force plate and energy consumption during walking was evaluated based on physiological cost index (PCI). Group comparisons were made using the independent t-test. There was no significant difference in stability between subjects with TFA and normal subjects during standing. However, walking speed in subjects with TFA decreased significantly compared to normal subjects (p = 0.014). PCI of subjects with TFA was 0.525 ± 0.13 compared to 0.298 ± 0.059 beats/m in normal subjects (p < 0.05). It seems that stability in subjects with TFA was similar to their healthy counterparts. However, energy consumption was higher in the TFA group than in normal subjects, which may be due to slow walking speed. Clinicians are to be aware of these findings as they may be useful for effective management of the patients with TFA.