A framework for feasible translation to enhance foot and ankle function in aging and mobility

PROJECT SUMMARY / ABSTRACT This supplement will support Ms. Paula Kramer, a doctoral student from an underrepresented minority, to examine how new and modifiable targets to enhance mobility and restore independence affect balance and stability in our rapidly aging population. The specific objective of the research is to examine the role of foot and

insole stiffness on gait stability in older adults. By extending the parent grant to examine measures of gait stability, this proposal explores how manipulations of foot-insole stiffness affect the stability of walking; this research complements and extends the mechanical power calculations described in the parent grant. This

research objective is embedded within training and career development objectives that allow Ms. Kramer to explore biomechanical research in a collaborative and multi-institutional environment supported by the parent grant spanning the University of Utah and the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill. Ms. Kramer’s current

career stage enables maximum impact for the proposed supplement; she will benefit from multiple mentors early in her graduate research career and develop skills and expertise to compete for future fellowships during her doctoral studies. The proposed project is tailored to build off Ms. Kramer’s background in neuromechanics

and interest in understanding human movement while providing training in biomechanical considerations, including joint mechanics and mechanical stability, during walking.