Research parameters for evaluating casting methods

Forgot this one: http://www.acsm-msse.org/pt/re/msse...R5kzQ4CHqZdpNyTh!1321082991!181195629!8091!-1

 

Ah! saved the best till last eh! teasing me are you?


Cheers Dave

 

Yes, because I'm a sadistic bully.

 

Thanks to all who replied to the posts on what the best research would be for the FAS. It's very much appreciated

With my limited experience on research (being none!) could you bare with me on a few questions? And sorry if some are obvious!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kevin Kirby
Neil:

In giving your potential research project some more thought, I think it would be most helpful to first establish how your machine's negative casts are different than other methods of negative casting. What I mean is that we must first establish what the differences in the three-dimensional shapes are in the negative casts produced by your machine and by more traditional methods of negative casting since you are claiming that your machine is a superior method of casting.

I would prefer to have at least three different methods of negative casting being analyzed. Here are the most likely candidates: neutral suspension plaster casting, foam bed casting, your machine. The feet to be casted (probably at least 20, better at 40) should have raised line of material adhered to their posterior calcaneus that would then, on negative casting, produce a posterior reference groove that would allow a calcaneal reference line to compare one cast to another. Then positive casts would be produced from each set of negative casts and dimensions/shapes of the cast would next be analyzed. : Could we use a thin black marker pen on the calcaneus to compare casts?
Here are some parameters one may consider for positive cast analysis:

-Heel width: On widest part of heel?
-Angulation of forefoot to calcaneus in frontal plane: Am I right in saying, the R/F bisection is measured with the F/F sitting flat on a table?
-Posterior calcaneus to first metatarsal head length
-Posterior calcaneus to fifth metatarsal head length: Would you measure both these from the most Posterior/Superior point or from Posterior, to where the calcaneus starts to curve up and no longer makes contact with the ground?
-Lateral arch height
-Medial arch height: I'm assuming that both are measured on all casts at the highest point of the Medial and Lateral arch?
-First metatarsal head plantarflexion/dorsiflexion relative to lesser metatarsal head plane: What if (in a lot of cases) the transverse plane of the met heads has a curved shape from 1st to 5th met. How would this be measured or would you just measure the curve or the height difference between the 1st met head and the
2nd?
-Lateral foot border shape: What points would you use to measure this?
-Radius of curvature of plantar heel in frontal plane : These two are pretty straight forward to me.
-Radius of curvature of plantar heel in sagittal plane

This would be an initial paper that would establish the basis for future comparisons in later research studies that would investigate foot orthosis kinematics, kinetics, and comfort in subjects casted with your machine. If done well, it could easily be published in the Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association
Hope this gives you some ideas. Good luck.
To get this feed back and these suggestions on research from someone like yourself and Dr Spooner is priceless.

Would it be best to ask if the University (one hours drive away) had anyone wanting to do this type of research or put a post out on the arena to see if I get any replies. I'm sure it would have to be slick for it to be published in Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association.

I can get the casts scanned by a company called camplex. I'm getting some WB and non WB casts scanned at the moment to see if the scanned data matches up with the original, so Simons suggestion would work a treat.

Cheers and thanks

Neil