Photo ; (In the middle) Prof. A. Thirugnanam along with Ms. Monisha Gowri Srinivasan (L) and Ms. Tharani Kumaran (R) 

•  A study performed using the indigenously developed force plate found that heel pad stiffness increases with body weight, reducing flexibility and shock absorption, which may explain higher heel pain in obese individuals.

ROURKELA :  National Institute of Technology Rourkela (NIT Rourkela) research team led by Prof. A. Thirugnanam, Professor, Department of Biotechnology and Medical Engineering, has uncovered new insights in developing low-cost indigenous force plate for measuring the multi-axial ground reaction forces (GRF). The GRF measured from the force plates will be useful to diagnose the abnormal gait patterns. This device will also be useful in sports academics, educational institutes, hospitals and rehabilitation centers in India as it is affordable compared to the existing foreign suppliers.

The product was developed by research scholars Ms. Tharani Kumaran and Ms. Monisha Gowri Srinivasan under the supervision of Prof. A. Thirugnanam. A patent has been filed, and a research article has been published in the Journal of Mechanics in Medicine and Biology.

The research team used the indigenously developed force plate along with the motion capture system to evaluate the heel pad stiffness in a non-invasive technique. By studying how the heel pad, the natural cushion of the foot, behaves in people with different body weights, the team has taken a step closer to developing better footwear and treatment strategies to reduce heel pain.

Especially among adults, heel pain is one of the most widespread foot ailments. It is often linked to overloading of the plantar fascia, a band of tissue that supports the arch of the foot. However, in many cases, changes in Heel Pad, a fatty tissue under the heel can also cause the problem. This issue acts as a shock absorber when we stand, run or walk. With too much stress, the heel pad loses its cushioning ability to the foot causing pain and discomfort. The condition can also be caused by aging, injury, obesity, diabetes, and also ill-fitting shoes.

Understanding how the heel pad responds to pressure and stress is vital. For the same, traditional approaches use medical imaging or load-based tests to measure heel pad thickness and stiffness, but these do not capture how the pad behaves in real, dynamic movements like walking.

To address this limitation, the NIT Rourkela team has used indigenously developed force plate, a cost-effective device for gait profiling and ground reaction force measurement. With this new technology, the researchers used 3D motion capture and force plate technology to study how the heel pad bends and shifts during plantar flexion, the stage of walking when the heel lifts off the ground.

To make the study more meaningful, the research team divided 15 volunteers into three groups: normal weight, overweight, and obese. Retroreflective markers were placed on the heel pad area of the volunteers, and their movements were carefully recorded and analysed.

The data analysis revealed that heel pad stiffness increases with body weight. Obese individuals had significantly stiffer heel pads than normal-weight and overweight participants. As a result, the heel lost its flexibility and shock-absorbing properties. Researchers suggest that this might be an additional factor contributing to the elevated risk of heel pain and related foot problems in obese individuals.

Speaking about the findings of the research, Prof. A. Thirugnanam, said, “Most neuromuscular disorders will affect the gait pattern of an individual. Since, gait requires precise coordination of muscle strength and balance, disturbances in any of these can alter the walking pattern and the corresponding GRF. Some common neuromuscular diseases like myopathies, peripheral neuropathies, neuromuscular junction disorders, spasticity, ataxia, Parkinson’s disease, cerebral palsy, etc., can alter the GRF. These abnormalities in GRF can be diagnosed using the force plate. The device can also be used in designing orthotics, prosthetics, and insole design in the shoe manufacturing industry. The indigenous force plate designed and developed by our team can be supplied at a reasonable cost, making it affordable to all sports academies, healthcare sectors, and academic institutes across India.”

Force plates are globally recognised as essential diagnostic tools for analysing human musculoskeletal health. Due to high costs and the lack of Indian manufacturers, its availability in India remains limited. The new device from NIT Rourkela can be supplied at one-fourth the price of international systems, making it an affordable alternative.

Highlighting the cost-effectiveness of the force plate, Prof. Thirugnanam, said, "Imported force plates usually cost between ₹30–50 lakhs, making them prohibitively expensive for many institutions. In contrast, our indigenously developed force plate can be available at just ₹8 to10 lakhs, offering a cost reduction of nearly 70–85%. This significant price advantage makes cutting-edge biomechanics technology far more accessible. By lowering the financial barrier, our solution enables wider adoption across research, clinical, and sports science applications, ensuring greater value for money and broader impact."

The project received funding from the Department of Science and Technology (DST) under the Biomedical Device and Technology Development (BDTD) scheme. Their industrial partner, M/s N K Instruments, Kolkata, especially, Mr. Kirti Nayak and his team contributed to the fabrication.

The innovation is being commercialised through the startup M/s KineUtkal Private Limited, incubated at FTBI, NIT Rourkela. The startup is also supported by the Rourkela Steel Plant SAIL CSR Grant, Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM), and MeitY Tide 2.0 (Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology) for developing other products.

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