The Medial Forefoot-Centered Neuromechanical Load Redistribution Model

Human locomotion arises from coordinated interactions between distal support mechanics and proximal kinetic chain dynamics.However, the mechanistic role of distal support regions in regulating load vector alignment and kinetic chain-level mechanical load redistribution during dynamic weight-bearing tasks remains insufficiently conceptualized.We propose the Medial Forefoot-Centered Neuromechanical Load Redistribution Model (MFCM), a neuromechanically grounded and falsifiable hypothesis integrating motor control and load redistribution mechanisms that conceptualizes the medial forefoot-particularly the first metatarsal head and first metatarsophalangeal joint-as a task-specific distal load alignment region.Within this framework, spatial convergence and temporal stabilization of the center of pressure (COP) toward the medial forefoot are hypothesized to regulate distal support stability, load vector line-of-action alignment, and coordinated mechanical load redistribution across the lower-extremity kinetic chain.Insufficient COP convergence, reflected by posterior or spatially dispersed COP localization, is expected to induce load vector malalignment, alter joint-specific external moment arm geometry, and drive alignment-dependent redistribution of joint mechanical demand rather than isolated joint-specific dysfunction.This hypothesis generates biomechanically testable predictions using integrated plantar pressure, COP trajectory, and three-dimensional motion analysis, providing a mechanistic framework for interpreting distal-to-proximal load redistribution and injury mechanisms in dynamic sports movements, particularly in growing athletes, and informing COP-targeted assessment and prevention strategies.