title: Mechanical properties of heel pads reconstructed with flaps.
abstract: We compared the mechanical properties of normal and reconstructed heel pads in seven patients. Four had latissimus dorsi flaps and one each an anterior thigh flap, a local dorsalis pedis flap and a sural arterial flap. The thickness of the heel pad was measured under serial incremental loads of 0.5 kg to a maximum of 3 kg and then relaxed sequentially. The load-displacement curve of the heel pad during a loading-unloading cycle was plotted and from this the unloaded heel-pad thickness (UHPT), compressibility index (CI), elastic modulus (Ep), and energy dissipation ratio (EDR) were calculated. The EDR was significantly increased in the reconstructed heels (53.7 +/- 18% v 23.4 +/- 6.5%, p = 0.003) indicating that in them more energy is dissipated as heat. Insufficient functional capacity in the reconstructed heel pad can lead to the development of shock-induced discomfort and ulceration.
authors: National Taiwan University, Taipei.
authors: C L
authors: CL
authors: Wang
authors: Y W
authors: YW
authors: Shau
authors: T C
authors: TC
authors: Hsu
authors: H C
authors: HC
authors: Chen
authors: S H
authors: SH
authors: Chien
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005528:Foot / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006365:Heel; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D014463:Ultrasonography