Footwear Interventions for Foot and Ankle Arthritis
Introduction
Foot problems are commonly observed by people with foot and ankle arthritis [ 1 ], [ 2 ] . High levels of foot pain , impairment and disability are also reported in this population [ 3 ], [ 4 ] . Foot problems in people with arthritis are also associated with reduced function [ 5 ] and quality of life [ 6 ] . Reduced walking velocity and increased plantar pressure is also observed in people with arthritis [ 7 ] . The aim of pharmacological and non-pharmacological management of foot and ankle arthritis is pain reduction , maintenance of function , accommodation of existing deformity and prevention of further deformity . Footwear is routinely used as non-pharmacological intervention [ 8 ] . Footwear can include offthe-shelf footwear , therapeutic footwear and therapeutic footwear combined with a foot orthosis . People with arthritis affecting the foot and ankle often use footwear which may contribute to foot pain and associated disability [ 9 ] and describe difficulties in finding suitable footwear [ 10 ] . Current evidence suggests that footwear may offer benefits
[ 11 ], for people with foot and ankle arthritis
[ 12 ], [ 13 ]
. While there are studies examining the effects of footwear , at this time it is difficult to appreciate the strength and consistency of experimental work providing support for the utilization of footwear in arthritic conditions . Hence , the aim of this review is to evaluate the evidence for the clinical effectiveness of footwear interventions for foot pain , function , impairment and disability in people with arthritis .
Methodology Identification of studies
The following electronic databases ( CINAHL , MEDLINE , Scopus , SPORTDiscus and the Cochrane Library ) were searched in September 2017 , with no limitations were placed on the publication date . The search strategy comprised of the following keywords : arthritis , rheumatoid arthritis , gout , osteoarthritis , rheumatic disease , psoriatic arthritis , lupus erythematous , ankylosing spondylitis , systemic sclerosis , polymyalgia rheumatica with footwear , footwear intervention , foot orthoses , foot orthosis , foot orthotic , insole and shoe ( Supplementary Table 1 ). The term “ footwear interventions ” encompasses the use of footwear , footwear with orthoses in the management of arthritic conditions .
" While there are studies examining the effects of footwear , at this time it is difficult to appreciate the strength and consistency of experimental work providing support for the utilization of footwear in arthritic conditions ."
24 Pedorthic Footcare Association | www . pedorthics . org