Yep. I've made one. Everyone seems to have one. I felt left out.
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Sadly, not being the clever sod that my rt. hon. colleagues on this forum are, I can't come up with a theoretical model. Finite element analysis give me migraine. So I made a model in the physical sense. For teaching don'tcha know.
Drumroll please....
Like I said,its a biomechanics model. A model, made of wood and hinges, bungees and ropes, for use in teaching biomechanics to those who prefer kinesthetic learning (which in my experience is a LOT of people who struggle with biomechanics.)
So, if I may, let me talk you through it.
You can see the 5 struts representing the metatarsals. All individually hinged and connected at the toe end by a bungee with spacers to represent the IM ligaments. I tried to place them as anatomically accurately as I could, with the parabola at the proximal end and the 5th met flat to the floor. There is a paralell bar across the Mid tarsal area and a spirit level which works in frontal and sagittal planes to show what effect the windlass has on the sub talar joint (and vice versa)
The 1st met is thicker and has a removable wedge to represent the stability at the base of the 1st met, with a toe at the other end which bends. If there is a mk 2 version it may have variably compressible wedges for the base of the 1st met.
The first met. Mad the joint a little thicker to exaggerate the effect of the windlass (and because the head of the met IS thicker. The rope for the plantar apeuneurosis runs smooth under the met in grooves cut for the purpose (sesamoids).
This is the bit I'm really proud of. A set of scales to measure the stress in the plantar apeuneurosis. Oh and the tension in the PA is adjustable to represent the differences in that structure in actual patients.
So, apart from just playing with it, you can demonstrate all types of stuff on this thing. Change the base of the 1st met stability and see what that has on the stress in the PA. Change the height of the arch WITHOUT changing the PA tension (adjustable length remember) and measure the amount of stress which goes on when you dorsiflex the hallux to establish the windlass. Move the bag of sand which I use for body weight (not shown;)) medially or laterally on the mid tarsal area to represent the axial position and observe the effect THAT has on the PA stress, the stress to establish the windlass...
Etc etc etc. I made this for a study day with a presentation on sagittal plane biomechanics but it's kept growing. I keep finding new stuff to put on it, and new stuff I can use it for. One day, there will be Mk 2 which will be far better.
I've had a lot of fun, and learned a lot making it. Hopefully the people I inflict it on when teaching will find it useful!
Whaddaya think?
Regards
Robert
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