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All,

There are several studies which have looked at the stiffness of the fat pad beneath the heel, yet they all seem to pick a spot beneath the heel and measure the load/ deformation characteristics at this point. Are there any studies which have actually measured variation in the stiffness of the heels fat pad from lateral to medial?

If the fat pad varies in thickness (does it?) then it should be stiffest where it is thinnest (assuming it's relatively homogenous- is it?) is it thinner under the medial tubercle of the calcaneus?

Note to self- must take a look at Kevin's anterior axial projection paper...

 

As a subject for that paper I can verify that at least some of the subjects were standing when the x-ray was performed. Kevin's paper did show that, weight bearing, the fat pad was thicker laterally.

From poking heels I get the sense that there is a bottoming out effect. That is there will be one zone of stiffness and then as pressure is increased, the cushioning material will bottom out and there will be much less deformation as more force is applied.

It would be an interesting study. Also a non weight bearing ant axial projection would be interesting to see if there is a difference of compression from side to side when weight bearing.

Having looked a a lot pressure plots I can say that there is usually higher pressures under the medial heel.

Eric