@article{QIMS154043,
author = {Luis Ángel Ortiz-Lango and Israel Miguel-Andrés and Marta Elena Losa-Iglesias and Ricardo Becerro-de Bengoa-Vallejo and Miguel Ángel Saavedra-García and Daniel López-López},
title = {Effect of the dorsiflexion and plantarflexion angles of the foot on the fifth metatarsal bone: finite element analysis},
journal = {Quantitative Imaging in Medicine and Surgery},
volume = {16},
number = {7},
year = {2026},
keywords = {},
abstract = {Background: Fractures of the fifth metatarsal bone are frequent in athletes, yet the mechanical conditions that increase stress in this region are not fully understood. Understanding how foot positioning influences local stress may help clarify potential risk factors related to sports activities. The aim of this study was to evaluate how different foot loading directions and ankle positions affect the stress, strain, and deformation of the fifth metatarsal bone using a three-dimensional (3D) computational model.Methods: A 3D model of the human foot was created from computed tomography (CT) imaging and included cortical bone, trabecular bone, and cartilage structures. Six loading conditions representing different ankle positions between forty and ninety degrees were simulated. A load equivalent to approximately three times body weight was applied to replicate impact during unilateral landing. Stress, strain, and deformation of the fifth metatarsal bone were quantified for each loading condition.Results: The highest stress value in the fifth metatarsal bone occurred at 60° of dorsiflexion, with a stress magnitude of 3.18 MPa, a deformation of 0.071 mm, and a strain of 1.46×10−4. The lowest stress value occurred when the load was applied vertically at 90°, with a stress of 0.66 MPa, a deformation of 0.009 mm, and a strain of 2.72×10−5. The first and fifth metatarsal bones consistently showed the greatest concentration of mechanical stress across all load conditions.Conclusions: Changes in foot position substantially influence the mechanical response of the fifth metatarsal bone. Dorsiflexion at sixty degrees generated the highest stress values and may represent a potentially critical condition for this region during high-impact sports movements.},
issn = {2223-4306}, url = {https://qims.amegroups.org/article/view/154043}
}