Spring Mechanisms in the Foot and Lower Extremity In this 18-minute mini-lecture, I review how the spring mechanisms within the foot and lower extremity are vital to optimizing the biomechanics of weightbearing activities. The mechanics of Hooke's Law is reviewed along with the concepts of spring stiffness and viscoelasticity. In addition, I discuss how elastic strain energy is used within the muscle, tendons and ligaments of running, galloping, and hopping animals to store and then release ener

SPRING LIGAMENT ⠀ [FUNCTIONAL ANATOMY & BIOMECHANICS] ⠀ As you know from my previous posts, the foot complex has many ligaments that provide the brain with proprioceptive feedback and assist in transfer of forces from the ground to the body. This transfer of force in the gait cycle begins with heel strike, which initiates pronation or the shock absorption phase. ⠀ During this action, the force of the bodyweight (yellow F) pushes the talus (T) into the ground in a medial-inferior direction with e