The effect of aircraft cockpit rudder pedal shape on lower limb muscle activation, plantar pressure, and comfort.

This study investigated the effects of four cockpit rudder-pedal geometries on lower-limb muscle activation, plantar-pressure distribution, and perceived comfort during simulated civil-aviation flight tasks. Employing a within-participant design in a simulator configured to the COMAC C919 cockpit layout, these configurations were assessed using 30 male trainee pilots. Results showed that the forefoot-elevated configuration (Shape-3) reduced calf-muscle loading and redistributed plantar pressure while improving overall comfort; conversely, thigh-muscle activation was not significantly affected by pedal geometry. Adjusting rudder-pedal geometry may therefore help modulate lower-limb load and improve operational comfort without compromising mission completion. Under short-duration simulated-task conditions, these findings provide empirical evidence to inform ergonomics-oriented cockpit rudder-pedal design.