Roy H. Lidtke, D.P.M., CPed, FACFAOM, is clinical associate professor of podiatric medicine specializing in lower extremity biomechanics
Lidtke started his research career here at Des Moines University after completing his residency. He started the Human Performance Lab as a joint research lab to study gait and motion. He was then recruited to start a gait analysis lab in Chicago at the William Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine where he continued his research interest on how foot orthosis influence gait with several projects involving anatomical research and biomaterials testing. Lidtke quickly attracted the attention of researchers at Rush University Medical Center where they were working on an NIH SCOR grant involving knee osteoarthritis. He was appointed visiting professor of orthopedic surgery and then assistant professor of internal medicine in the section of rheumatology where he became co-investigator on the NIH SCOR grant on the effect of orthosis on medial knee osteoarthritis. He continues to hold his academic appointment in Chicago where he is named as a co-inventor on patent for a shoe designed to reduce the load across the knee as he continues to study the effects of the foot on knee mechanics. Lidtke has continued this area of research at Des Moines University where he is looking at the role of shoe stiffness and foot mobility on knee osteoarthritis and has established a materials testing lab at the University.
Current research projects
- Iowa Osteopathic Education and Research Grant The Effect of Shoe Stiffness on Knee Osteoarthritis
- Iowa Osteopathic Education and Research Grant Co-Investigator Mechanical comparison of cortical screw fixation versus locking plate fixation in the closing base wedge osteotomy of the first metatarsal
- NIH/NIAMS SCOR P50AR048941, “Clinical Effects of altered biomechanics in knee OA.” 2003-2008. Co-investigator to evaluate the effects of orthosis on gait biomechanics and pain in knee OA. Rush University Medical Center, Chicago IL
- Specialized Footwear on Joint Loads in Osteoarthritis Co-Investigator Rush University Medical Center Chicago IL
- American College of Foot and Ankle Orthopedics and Medicine Research Grant forNeuromuscular Adaptation from Custom Fabricated Foot Orthosis
