# RR&D Research Career Scientist Award Application

> **NIH VA IK6** · VA PUGET SOUND HEALTHCARE SYSTEM · 2020 · —

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Dr. Ledoux’s current research activity aims to reduce both functional and anatomical limb loss by: exploring the
disease processes that lead to aberrant limb function; quantifying the effects of conservative and surgical
treatment options; and developing novel, state-of-the-art technologies for studying the foot. His research focuses
on two veteran populations: those with musculoskeletal impairment at the foot and ankle, where pain and
limitations in mobility are the key issues (i.e., functional limb loss); and those at risk of lower limb amputation due
to diabetes and foot ulceration, where loss of the foot or leg is a major concern (i.e., anatomical limb loss). The
overarching goals of his research include: (1) insight into the pathomechanics of: diabetic foot ulceration, ankle
and midfoot arthritis, and severe foot deformities; (2) quantitative comparison of different treatment options for
foot deformities/pathologies that can lead to improved limb function or prevention of amputation; and (3) the
development of novel research tools that can be employed in a wide range of clinical studies. This third goal is
implicit in the first two, but has and will continue to guide much of Dr. Ledoux’s research efforts. For instance,
his lab has developed a state-of-the-art cadaveric gait simulator that has been licensed by another foot
biomechanist/clinician group. Additionally, he has invested significant resources in the development and
validation of his biplane fluoroscope, which is one of only a few primarily designed to study the foot and ankle.
Moving forward, two areas of research will dominate Dr. Ledoux’s efforts. First, he has a funded VA Merit Review
(RX002008) to study how in-shoe foot orthoses achieve improvements in foot and ankle function for people with
ankle osteoarthritis (OA) and/or adult acquired flatfoot. These are common, painful, and often highly debilitating
conditions, and it has been shown that foot orthoses can be an effective conservative intervention that can help
to postpone or negate the need for surgery. Measuring how the individual bones of the foot move using traditional
motion analysis techniques is very difficult due to the size and position of the foot bones, and because of soft
tissue artifact, which introduces significant errors into the measurements. This is further complicated by the need
to wear shoes to use orthoses. The biplane fluoroscopy system can accurately measure foot bone kinematics
throughout the stance phase, and has the advantage of being able to measure the effects of foot orthotics in
shoes. This project will improve our understanding of how foot orthotics work and will help us to prescribe and
design more effective devices to meet the needs of individual patients. This will benefit the large number of
veterans who suffer from ankle osteoarthritis and adult acquired flat foot.
Second, Dr. Ledoux has a recent NIH proposal entitled “Reducing Internal Stresses in Deformed Diabet...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10011598
- **Project number:** 5IK6RX002970-03
- **Recipient organization:** VA PUGET SOUND HEALTHCARE SYSTEM
- **Principal Investigator:** William R. Ledoux
- **Activity code:** IK6 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** VA
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** —
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-10-01 → 2023-09-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10011598

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10011598, RR&D Research Career Scientist Award Application (5IK6RX002970-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10011598. Licensed CC0.

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