Experimental Modelling of Heat Generation in Porcine Tissue to Investigate the Etiology of Diabetic Foot Ulceration

Diabetic foot ulceration is a major complication of diabetes. A recent systematic review has concluded that an increase in skin temperature is associated with a higher risk of diabetic foot ulceration. However, the mechanism of the rise of foot temperatures is not understood. In this paper, we examine the effect of viscoelastic heating on the foot temperature by experimentally measuring temperature of porcine tissue during cyclic loading. We show that the heat generated in the tissue increases with amplitude and frequency of loading. This viscoelastic heating may contribute to changes in foot tissue temperature.