DescriptionThe present study utilizes FEA to analyze the biomechanics of the foot during the initiation of the toe-off phase of running gait. The model included the bones in the foot, midfoot cartilage, soft tissue, plantar fascia, intermetatarsal ligaments and a floor support. One area of analysis was the effect of metatarsal length on the stresses along the metatarsals. Another analysis was the relation between the location of clinical stress fractures with the locations of peak stresses and minimum cross-section. This study shows support that the shorter metatarsal model experienced lower peak stresses due to the shorter moment arm, reducing the bending stresses. The curvatures of the metatarsals also affect the stress pattern on the metatarsals. The locations of peak stresses, minimum cross-section and clinical stress fractures were in a similar location of the third quartile along the metatarsals.