Foot Health News

Research update

A new PhD milestone and the next steps in foot health research

Christiaan has passed his first major PhD milestone: confirmation of candidature. This means his research plan has been reviewed and approved, and he is now officially a confirmed PhD candidate. It is an important step forward for a project focused on building a clearer and more complete understanding of foot health, strength, movement and function.

Christiaan's PhD research update on foot health, movement and strength testing

Where the research stands now

The project brings together strength testing, wearable sensor measurement and participant data to better understand how feet function in real life.

The next stages will look at testing consistency, movement variability, foot structure and physical activity across different groups of people.

Project update

  • Major PhD milestone completed
  • First study now in analysis
  • Second study data collection underway
  • Large-scale participant project being prepared

Study one: repeatability of foot strength testing

Christiaan’s first study has finished data collection and is now in the analysis stage. This study examined foot strength testing in four positions: sitting, standing, lying and push-off.

The aim is to identify which positions produce the most consistent measurements, helping researchers and clinicians track changes in strength more confidently over time.

Reliable foot strength testing starts with measurements that can be trusted and repeated.

Study one focus

Study two: wearable sensors and movement variability

The second study is currently collecting data and focuses on whether wearable sensors can measure movement variability during walking, running and hopping.

Movement variability describes how someone’s movement changes from one step or hop to the next. This can provide useful insight into how people move during different tasks.

Measurement

Wearable sensors

Exploring whether sensor-based data can provide reliable information about movement patterns.

Movement tasks

Walking, running and hopping

Measuring variability across activities that place different demands on the feet and lower body.

The largest project: building a comprehensive picture of foot health

Christiaan is also preparing for the largest project in his PhD. In partnership with Sole Mechanics across Melbourne and Brisbane, the project will recruit hundreds of participants.

The project will measure strength, morphology, movement and physical activity levels. The aim is to understand what healthy foot function looks like, rather than focusing only on pain, injury or dysfunction.

Strength

Foot strength

Measuring strength as one part of understanding how feet support movement and function.

Morphology

Foot structure

Looking at foot shape and structure as part of the broader health profile.

Movement

Movement patterns

Observing how the foot behaves during functional movement tasks.

Activity

Physical activity levels

Considering everyday activity as an important part of the overall picture.

Why this research matters

This research is focused on building a stronger understanding of foot function in real people. By bringing together biomechanics, clinical assessment and applied foot health research, Christiaan’s work looks at measurement repeatability, movement variability and large-scale foot health data to better understand how the foot responds and adapts to loading. Rather than only focusing on problems, pain or injury, the larger goal is to understand healthy foot function itself and support future approaches to assessment, injury prevention and clinical practice.