Investigation of Form-Function Relationships in the Human Musculoskeletal System

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Musculoskeletal joints are critical elements for enabling complex movements between body segments. They are remarkable in their ability to facilitate motion while transmitting forces. However, it is not always clear how their intricate arrangement and shapes enable us to perform complex dynamic tasks. Previously, we found that the arch of the human foot enables ankle function. This work provided new ideas into how the human foot mechanically functions and provided potential explanations as to why the human foot is shaped so dramatically different compared to other non-human apes. We also found that the shape of the bones in the knee has a considerable influence on its function. However, how the foot accomplishes its role in ankle function and how this function affects knee mechanics remains unclear. This research program has three complementary objectives. The first objective aims to understand how coupled foot and ankle motion is accomplished. We will examine the intricate joints within the foot and their surrounding soft tissues. The second objective investigates how differences in the skeletal shape of the foot bones map to differences in foot and ankle function across people. In the third objective, we will investigate how the wide range of joint shapes across the population influence the foot and knee's mechanical function. To accomplish this, we will use state-of-the-art methods in imaging and musculoskeletal modelling, such as high-speed biplanar x-ray and six-degree-of-freedom modelling. This NSE research program is broadly applicable in several areas. First, this work can provide insight into human origins. The shapes of the foot and knee in humans are distinct compared to extinct relatives of humans and non-human apes. Insight into how the foot and knee function and how variation in shape alters function can provide evolutionary biologists with new targets for the selective forces that shaped the human species. This work is also relevant in applied sciences such as orthopedic implant design. Orthopedic implants aim to recapitulate the function of the intact joint. Learning what features of the articular surfaces are most relevant to healthy function can inform implant design. Finally, this work has relevance to the footwear industry. Understanding the mechanical importance of the intrinsic foot joints and how footwear alters function will aid in new designs that can perhaps optimize performance and minimize injury risk. Finally, this work has importance for legged robotics design, where researchers work to make robots that closely mimic human locomotion. Understanding how variation in joint shapes leads to variations in function can provide researchers with new criteria for their designs. This proposal will train four PhD, three MASc, and five undergraduate students.