Dr Luke Kelly
Honorary Associate Professor
School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences
Researcher biography
I am an Honorary Associate Professor within the School of Human Movement & Nutrition Sciences. My primary area of research is focused on enhancing our understanding of the complex function of the human foot. Despite the importance of our feet in our daily lives, we know little about this complex anatomical structure. I am driven to understand how the foot has evolved, to perform such a diverse array of locomotor tasks with relative effectiveness and efficiency. Specifically, I study how the brain and spinal cord control foot function, and the role of elastic connective tissues in providing structural support and energy conservation. I am fascinated by the intricate interaction of the many small bones within the foot, and how variations in structure may influence the physcial performance of the foot. Beyond fundamental science, my research has broad application across a range of areas. My research program has both direct industry connections (e.g. Australian Sports Commission and Asics Oceania) and potential applications in different areas of health (e.g. chronic musculoskeletal conditions - osteoarthritis), rehabilitation, and robotic/prosthetic design.
Publications
Book Chapter
Paterson, Kade L., Kelly, Luke A. and Smith, Michelle D. (2023). Osteoarthritis of the foot and ankle. Foot and ankle biomechanics. (pp. 547-563) edited by William R. Ledoux and Scott Telfer. London, United Kingdom: Academic Press. doi: 10.1016/b978-0-12-815449-6.00026-3
Journal Articles
Treherne, Paige, Lee, Erin C.S., Rainbow, Michael J. and Kelly, Luke A. (2025). Mitigating stress: exploring how our feet change shape with size. Royal Society Open Science, 12 (3) 241828, 3. doi: 10.1098/rsos.241828
Behling, Anja-Verena, Welte, Lauren, Rainbow, Michael J. and Kelly, Luke (2025). Human in vivo talocrural contributions to ankle joint complex kinematics during walking, running, and hopping. Heliyon, 11 (1) e41301, e41301. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e41301
Behling, Anja-Verena, Kelly, Luke, Welte, Lauren and Rainbow, Michael J. (2024). The influence of talus size and shape on in vivo talocrural hopping kinematics. Royal Society Open Science, 11 (10) 231997, 1-12. doi: 10.1098/rsos.231997
Behling, Anja-Verena, Welte, Lauren, Kelly, Luke and Rainbow, Michael J. (2024). Human in vivo midtarsal and subtalar joint kinematics during walking, running and hopping. Journal of The Royal Society Interface, 21 (214) 20240074. doi: 10.1098/rsif.2024.0074
Lichtwark, Glen A., Schuster, Robert W., Kelly, Luke A., Trost, Stewart G. and Bialkowski, Alina (2024). Markerless motion capture provides accurate predictions of ground reaction forces across a range of movement tasks. Journal of Biomechanics, 166 112051, 112051. doi: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2024.112051
Schuster, Robert W., Cresswell, Andrew G. and Kelly, Luke A. (2024). Human foot form and function: variable and versatile, yet sufficiently related to predict function from form. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 291 (2014) 20232543, 20232543. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2023.2543
Jessup, Luke N., Kelly, Luke A., Cresswell, Andrew G. and Lichtwark, Glen A. (2023). It is not just the work you do, but how you do it: the metabolic cost of walking uphill and downhill with varying grades. Journal of Applied Physiology, 135 (6), 1263-1267. doi: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00349.2023
Behling, Anja‐Verena, Rainbow, Michael J., Welte, Lauren and Kelly, Luke (2023). Chasing footprints in time – reframing our understanding of human foot function in the context of current evidence and emerging insights. Biological Reviews, 98 (6), 2136-2151. doi: 10.1111/brv.12999
Jessup, Luke N., Kelly, Luke A., Cresswell, Andrew G. and Lichtwark, Glen A. (2023). Validation of a musculoskeletal model for simulating muscle mechanics and energetics during diverse human hopping tasks. Royal Society Open Science, 10 (10) 230393, 1-10. doi: 10.1098/rsos.230393
Smith, Ross, Lichtwark, Glen, Farris, Dominic and Kelly, Luke (2023). Examining the intrinsic foot muscles’ capacity to modulate plantar flexor gearing and ankle joint contributions to propulsion in vertical jumping. Journal of Sport and Health Science, 12 (5), 639-647. doi: 10.1016/j.jshs.2022.07.002
Hemler, Sarah, Schuster, Robert, Pataky, Zoltan and Kelly, Luke A. (2023). Foot shape modelling of older adults with and without diabetes mellitus. Footwear Science, 15 2199292, S74-S75. doi: 10.1080/19424280.2023.2199292
Welte, Lauren, Holowka, Nicholas B., Kelly, Luke A., Arndt, Anton and Rainbow, Michael J. (2023). Mobility of the human foot’s medial arch helps enable upright bipedal locomotion. Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, 11 1155439, 1-11. doi: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1155439
Jessup, Luke N., Kelly, Luke A., Cresswell, Andrew G. and Lichtwark, Glen A. (2023). Linking muscle mechanics to the metabolic cost of human hopping. Journal of Experimental Biology, 226 (12) jeb245614, 1-10. doi: 10.1242/jeb.245614
Schuster, Robert W., Cresswell, Andrew G. and Kelly, Luke A. (2023). Foot shape is related to load-induced shape deformations, but neither are good predictors of plantar soft tissue stiffness. Journal of The Royal Society Interface, 20 (198) 20220758, 1-12. doi: 10.1098/rsif.2022.0758
Aeles, Jeroen, Kelly, Luke A. and Cresswell, Andrew G. (2023). Flexor hallucis brevis motor unit behavior in response to moderate increases in rate of force development. PeerJ, 11 e14341, 1-18. doi: 10.7717/peerj.14341
Hutchinson, Laura A., Kelly, Luke A. and Lichtwark, Glen A. (2022). The feasibility, validity, and reliability of strain measures in the iliotibial band during isolated muscular contractions. Journal of Biomechanics, 144 111341, 111341. doi: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2022.111341
Birch, Jonathon V., Farris, Dominic J., Riddick, Ryan, Cresswell, Andrew G., Dixon, Sharon J. and Kelly, Luke A. (2022). Neuromechanical adaptations of foot function when hopping on a damped surface. Journal of Applied Physiology, 133 (6), 1302-1308. doi: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00012.2022
Takahashi, Kota Z., Krupenevich, Rebecca L., Lenz, Amy L., Kelly, Luke A., Rainbow, Michael J. and Franz, Jason R. (2022). Mechanics and energetics of human feet: a contemporary perspective for understanding mobility impairments in older adults. Biomechanics, 2 (4), 494-499. doi: 10.3390/biomechanics2040038
Leitner, Christoph, Jarolim, Robert, Englmair, Bernhard, Kruse, Annika, Hernandez, Karen Andrea Lara, Konrad, Andreas, Su, Eric, Schrottner, Jorg, Kelly, Luke A., Lichtwark, Glen A., Tilp, Markus and Baumgartner, Christian (2022). A human-centered machine-learning pproach for muscle-tendon junction tracking in ultrasound images. IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering, 69 (6), 1920-1930. doi: 10.1109/TBME.2021.3130548
Smith, Ross E., Lichtwark, Glen A. and Kelly, Luke A. (2022). Flexor digitorum brevis utilises elastic strain energy to contribute to both work generation and energy absorption at the foot. Journal of Experimental Biology, 225 (8) jeb243792. doi: 10.1242/jeb.243792
Willwacher, Steffen, Kurz, Markus, Robbin, Johanna, Thelen, Matthias, Hamill, Joseph, Kelly, Luke and Mai, Patrick (2022). Running-related biomechanical risk factors for overuse injuries in distance runners: a systematic review considering injury specificity and the potentials for future research. Sports Medicine, 52 (8), 1863-1877. doi: 10.1007/s40279-022-01666-3
Hutchinson, L. A., Lichtwark, G. A., Willy, R. W. and Kelly, L. A. (2022). The iliotibial band: a complex structure with versatile functions. Sports Medicine, 52 (5), 995-1008. doi: 10.1007/s40279-021-01634-3
Riddick, Ryan C., Farris, Dominic J., Brown, Nicholas A. T. and Kelly, Luke A. (2021). Stiffening the human foot with a biomimetic exotendon. Scientific Reports, 11 (1) 22778, 22778. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-02059-8
Smith, Ross, Lichtwark, Glen, Farris, Dominic and Kelly, Luke A. (2021). Examining the intrinsic foot muscles’ capacity to modulate plantar flexor gearing. Footwear Science, 13 (sup1), S87-S89. doi: 10.1080/19424280.2021.1917696
Smith, Ross E., Lichtwark, Glen A. and Kelly, Luke A. (2021). The energetic function of the human foot and its muscles during accelerations and decelerations. Journal of Experimental Biology, 224 (13) jeb242263, 1-9. doi: 10.1242/jeb.242263
Riddick, R. C., Farris, D. J., Cresswell, A. G., Kuo, A. D. and Kelly, L. A. (2021). Stepping onto the unknown: reflexes of the foot and ankle while stepping with perturbed perceptions of terrain. Journal of The Royal Society Interface, 18 (176) 20210061, 20210061. doi: 10.1098/rsif.2021.0061
Birch, Jonathon V., Kelly, Luke A., Cresswell, Andrew G., Dixon, Sharon J. and Farris, Dominic J. (2021). Neuromechanical adaptations of foot function to changes in surface stiffness during hopping. Journal of Applied Physiology, 130 (4) japplphysiol.00401.2020, 1196-1204. doi: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00401.2020
Welte, Lauren, Kelly, Luke A., Kessler, Sarah E., Lieberman, Daniel E., D'Andrea, Susan E., Lichtwark, Glen A. and Rainbow, Michael J. (2021). The extensibility of the plantar fascia influences the windlass mechanism during human running. Royal Society of London. Proceedings B. Biological Sciences, 288 (1943) 2095, 1-10. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2020.2095
Schuster, Robert Wolfgang, Cresswell, Andrew and Kelly, Luke (2021). Reliability and quality of statistical shape and deformation models constructed from optical foot scans. Journal of Biomechanics, 115 110137, 110137. doi: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2020.110137
Lithgow, Merridy J., Munteanu, Shannon E., Buldt, Andrew K., Arnold, John B., Kelly, Luke A. and Menz, Hylton B. (2020). Foot structure and lower limb function in individuals with midfoot osteoarthritis: a systematic review. Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, 28 (12), 1514-1524. doi: 10.1016/j.joca.2020.08.012
Kessler, Sarah E., Lichtwark, Glen A., Welte, Lauren K.M., Rainbow, Michael J. and Kelly, Luke A. (2020). Regulation of foot and ankle quasi-stiffness during human hopping across a range of frequencies. Journal of Biomechanics, 108 109853, 109853. doi: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2020.109853
Farris, Dominic James, Birch, Jonathon and Kelly, Luke (2020). Foot stiffening during the push-off phase of human walking is linked to active muscle contraction, and not the windlass mechanism. Journal of The Royal Society Interface, 17 (168) 20200208, 1-8. doi: 10.1098/rsif.2020.0208
Aeles, Jeroen, Kelly, Luke A., Yoshitake, Yasuhide and Cresswell, Andrew G. (2020). Fine-wire recordings of flexor hallucis brevis motor units up to maximal voluntary contraction reveal a flexible, non-rigid mechanism for force control. Journal of Neurophysiology, 123 (5) jn.00023.2020, 1766-1774. doi: 10.1152/jn.00023.2020
Maharaj, Jayishni N., Kessler, Sarah, Rainbow, Michael J., D’Andrea, Susan E., Konow, Nicolai, Kelly, Luke A. and Lichtwark, Glen A. (2020). The reliability of foot and ankle bone and joint kinematics measured with biplanar videoradiography and manual scientific rotoscoping. Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, 8 106, 106. doi: 10.3389/fbioe.2020.00106
Lichtwark, Glen A. and Kelly, Luke A (2020). Ahead of the curve in the evolution of human feet. Nature, 579 (7797), 31-32. doi: 10.1038/d41586-020-00472-z
Grant, Tamara M., Diamond, Laura E., Pizzolato, Claudio, Killen, Bryce A., Devaprakash, Daniel, Kelly, Luke, Maharaj, Jayishni N. and Saxby, David J. (2020). Development and validation of statistical shape models of the primary functional bone segments of the foot. PeerJ, 8 (2) e8397, 1-19. doi: 10.7717/peerj.8397
Kessler, Sarah E., Rainbow, Michael J., Lichtwark, Glen A., Cresswell, Andrew G., D'Andrea, Susan E., Konow, Nicolal and Kelly, Luke A. (2019). A direct comparison of biplanar videoradiography and optical motion capture for foot and ankle kinematics. Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, 7 (AUG) 199, 199. doi: 10.3389/fbioe.2019.00199
Kelly, Luke A, Farris, Dominic J, Cresswell, Andrew G and Lichtwark, Glen A (2019). Intrinsic foot muscles contribute to elastic energy storage and return in the human foot. Journal of Applied Physiology, 126 (1), 231-238. doi: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00736.2018
Farris, Dominic James, Kelly, Luke A., Cresswell, Andrew G. and Lichtwark, Glen A. (2019). The functional importance of human foot muscles for bipedal locomotion. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 116 (5), 201812820-1650. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1812820116
Riddick, Ryan, Farris, Dominic J. and Kelly, Luke A. (2019). The foot is more than a spring: human foot muscles perform work to adapt to the energetic requirements of locomotion. Journal of The Royal Society Interface, 16 (150) 20180680, 20180680. doi: 10.1098/rsif.2018.0680
Welte, Lauren, Kelly, Luke A., Lichtwark, Glen A. and Rainbow, Michael J. (2018). Influence of the windlass mechanism on arch-spring mechanics during dynamic foot arch deformation. Journal of the Royal Society Interface, 15 (145) 20180270, 20180270. doi: 10.1098/rsif.2018.0270
Kelly, Luke A., Cresswell, Andrew G. and Farris, Dominic J. (2018). The energetic behaviour of the human foot across a range of running speeds. Scientific Reports, 8 (1) 10576, 10576. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-28946-1
McNamara, Dean J., Gabbett, Timothy J., Blanch, Peter and Kelly, Luke (2018). The relationship between wearable microtechnology device variables and cricket fast bowling intensity. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, 13 (2), 135-139. doi: 10.1123/ijspp.2016-0540
Kelly, Luke A., Farris, Dominic J., Lichtwark, Glen A. and Cresswell, Andrew G. (2017). The influence of foot-strike technique on the neuromechanical function of the foot. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 50 (1), 98-108. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000001420
Kelly, Luke, Lichtwark, Glen, Farris, Dominic and Cresswell, Andrew (2016). Shoes alter the spring-like function of the human foot during running. Journal of The Royal Society Interface, 13 (119) 20160174, 1-9. doi: 10.1098/rsif.2016.0174
Fourchet, François, Girard, Olivier, Kelly, Luke, Horobeanu, Cosmin and Millet, Grégoire P. (2015). Changes in leg spring behaviour, plantar loading and foot mobility magnitude induced by an exhaustive treadmill run in adolescent middle-distance runners. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 18 (2), 199-203. doi: 10.1016/j.jsams.2014.01.007
Fourchet, Francois, Kelly, Luke, Horobeanu, Cosmin, Loepelt, Heiko, Taiar, Redha and Millet, Gregoire (2015). High-intensity running and lantar-flexor fatigability and plantar-pressure distribution in adolescent runners. Journal of Athletic Training, 50 (2), 117-125. doi: 10.4085/1062-6050-49.3.90
Kelly, Luke A., Lichtwark, Glen and Cresswell, Andrew G. (2015). Active regulation of longitudinal arch compression and recoil during walking and running. Journal of the Royal Society Interface, 12 (102), 1-8. doi: 10.1098/rsif.2014.1076
Kelly, Luke A., Cresswell, Andrew G., Racinais, Sebastien, Whiteley, Rodney and Lichtwark, Glen (2014). Intrinsic foot muscles have the capacity to control deformation of the longitudinal arch. Journal of the Royal Society Interface, 11 (93) 20131188, 20131188.1-20131188.9. doi: 10.1098/rsif.2013.1188
Kelly, Luke A., Racinais, Sebastien and Cresswell, Andrew G. (2013). Discharge properties of abductor hallucis before, during, and after an isometric fatigue task. Journal of Neurophysiology, 110 (4), 891-898. doi: 10.1152/jn.00944.2012
Rathleff, Michael S., Kelly, Luke A., Christensen, Finn B., Simonsen, Ole H., Kaalund, Soren and Laessoe, Uffe (2012). Dynamic midfoot kinematics in subjects with medial tibial stress syndrome. Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association, 102 (3), 205-212. doi: 10.7547/1020205
Fourchet, Francois, Kelly, Luke, Horobeanu, Cosmin, Loepelt, Heiko, Taiar, Redha and Millet, Gregoire P. (2012). Comparison of plantar pressure distribution in adolescent runners at low vs. high running velocity. Gait and Posture, 35 (4), 685-687. doi: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2011.12.004
Kelly, Luke A., Kuitunen, Sami, Racinais, Sebastien and Cresswell, Andrew G. (2012). Recruitment of the plantar intrinsic foot muscles with increasing postural demand. Clinical Biomechanics, 27 (1), 46-51. doi: 10.1016/j.clinbiomech.2011.07.013
Kelly, Luke A., Girard, Olivier and Racinais, Sebastien (2011). Effect of orthoses on changes in neuromuscular control and aerobic cost of a 1-h Run. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 43 (12), 2335-2343. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0b013e31822037ca
Girard, Olivier, Racinais, Sebastien, Kelly, Luke, Millet, Gregoire P. and Brocherie, Franck (2011). Repeated sprinting on natural grass impairs vertical stiffness but does not alter plantar loading in soccer players. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 111 (10), 2547-2555. doi: 10.1007/s00421-011-1884-5
Kelly, Luke A., Racinais, Sebastien, Tanner, Craig M., Grantham, Justin and Chalabi, Hakim (2010). Augmented low dye taping changes muscle activation patterns and plantar pressure during treadmill running. Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy, 40 (10), 648-655. doi: 10.2519/jospt.2010.3164
Conference Papers
Behling, Anja-Verena, Rainbow, Michael, Welte, Lauren and Kelly, Luke (2023). Talus shape predicts subtalar running kinematics in minimalist shoes. Sixteenth Footwear Biomechanics Symposium, Osaka, Japan, 26-28 July 2023. Abingdon, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom: Taylor & Francis. doi: 10.1080/19424280.2023.2199301
Hutchinson, L., Lichtwark, G. and Kelly, L. (2022). Regional variations in iliotibial band strain during isolated muscle contractions. 2022 SMA Conference, Gold Coast, QLD Australia, 16-19 November 2022. Chatswood, NSW Australia: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.jsams.2022.09.107
Willwacher, Steffen, Lichtwark, Glen, Cresswell, Andrew G. and Kelly, Luke A. (2021). Effects of midsole bending stiffness and shape on lower extremity joint work per distance in level, incline and decline running. Fifteenth Footwear Biomechanics Symposium, Göteborg, Sweden, 2021. Abingdon, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom: Taylor and Francis. doi: 10.1080/19424280.2021.1917672
Lichtwark, Glen, Dominic Farris, Kelly, Luke and Nicholas A.T. Brown (2014). Lower limb biomechanics and muscle function. Be Active 2014, Canberra, Australia, 15-18 October 2014. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport: doi: 10.1016/j.jsams.2014.11.106
Kelly, L., Lichtwark< G. and Cresswell, A. (2013). Dynamic function of the plantar intrinsic foot muscles during walking and running. The 2013 Asics Conference of Science and Medicine in Sport, Phuket, Thailand, 22 -25 October 2013. Chatswood, NSW Australia: Elsevier Australia. doi: 10.1016/j.jsams.2013.10.012
Kelly, Luke A., Girard, Olivier and Racinais, Sebastien (2011). Do Foot Orthoses Alter Muscle Activation, Running Economy and Neuromuscular Fatigue During a 1-h Treadmill Run?. 58th Annual Meeting of the American-College-of-Sports-Medicine / 2nd World Congress on Exercise is Medicine, Denver Co, May 31-Jun 04, 2011. PHILADELPHIA: LIPPINCOTT WILLIAMS & WILKINS. doi: 10.1249/01.MSS.0000402973.66088.aa
Kelly, Luke A., Kuitunen, Sami, Racinais, Sebastien and Cresswell, Andrew G. (2011). Recruitment of the plantar intrinsic foot muscles with increasing postural demand. XXIIIrd Congress of the International Society of Biomechanics, Brussels, Belgium, 3-7 July 2011. Brussels, Belgium: International Society of Biomechanics.
Newspaper Article
Thesis
Kelly, Luke (2015). In-vivo function of human plantar intrinsic foot muscles. PhD Thesis, School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/uql.2015.341
Data Collections
Treherne, Paige and Kelly, Luke (2024). Underlying data for publication : Mitigating Stress: Exploring how our feet change shape with size - Updated. The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/c38ac89
Behling, Anja-Verena and Kelly, Luke (2023). Human in vivo midtarsal and subtalar joint kinematics during walking, running, and hopping.. The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/ca5f58e
Treherne, Paige and Kelly, Luke (2023). Underlying data for publication : Mitigating Stress: Exploring how our feet change shape with size - Superseded. The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/12622c0
Schuster, Robert, Kelly, Luke, Cresswell, Andrew and Schuster, Robert (2023). Statistical foot shape-function model animations and figures (updated version). The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/9264db2
Schuster, Robert, Kelly, Luke, Cresswell, Andrew and Schuster, Robert (2022). Statistical foot shape-function model animations and figures (superseded version, see updated version: https://doi.org/10.48610/9264db2). The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/29aa2b4
Schuster, Robert, Kelly, Luke, Cresswell, Andrew and Schuster, Robert (2022). Statistical foot shape and deformation model animations. The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/60bf14a
Schuster, Robert, Kelly, Luke and Cresswell, Andrew (2022). Foot shape, deformation and plantar aponeurosis stiffness. The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/a559c92
Schuster, Robert, Kelly, Luke, Cresswell, Andrew and Schuster, Robert (2022). Foot shape-function model data. The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/4a4dc49
Smith, Ross and Kelly, Luke (2021). Muscle-tendon dynamics of the flexor digitorum brevis. The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/f3819a6
Schuster, Robert, Kelly, Luke and Cresswell, Andrew (2020). Repeated 3D foot scans. The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.14264/793e7e8
Farris, Dominic, Lichtwark, Glen, Kelly, Luke and Cresswell, Andrew (2019). Human foot muscle function during walking and running. The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.14264/uql.2019.3
Aeles, Jeroen, Kelly, Luke, Yoshitake, Yasuhide and Cresswell, Andrew (2019). Motor unit data - FHB recordings. The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.14264/uql.2019.816
Kelly, Luke (2018). The Active Foot Spring dataset. The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.14264/uql.2018.498