Effectiveness of footwear and foot orthoses in reducing medial metatarsophalangeal joint pressure in women with hallux valgus.

BACKGROUND: Hallux valgus is a common condition where the subluxation of the first metatarsophalangeal joint and lateral deviation of the hallux at the interphalangeal joint creates difficulty with footwear fit. Footwear and foot orthoses are commonly prescribed nonsurgical treatments for hallux valgus. RESEARCH QUESTION: Do extra-width footwear and foot orthoses influence peak pressure at the medial aspect of the metatarsophalangeal and interphalangeal joints in women with hallux valgus? METHODS: Community-dwelling women with symptomatic hallux valgus underwent gait testing when wearing their own shoes and when wearing extra-width footwear fitted with three-quarter length, arch-contouring prefabricated foot orthoses. Peak pressure (kPa) on the medial aspect of the metatarsophalangeal and medial interphalangeal joints and on the plantar surface of the foot (hallux, lesser toes, metatarsophalangeal joint 1, metatarsophalangeal joints 2-5, midfoot and heel) were measured using the novel pedar®-X system with the pedar® pad and pedar® insole, respectively (Novel, GmbH, Munich, Germany). Paired samples t-tests were used to calculate the differences between the two conditions, and the magnitude of observed differences was calculated using Cohen's d. RESULTS: We tested 28 participants (aged 44-80 years, mean 60.7, standard deviation 10.7). Compared to their own footwear, wearing the intervention footwear and orthoses was associated with a statistically significant decrease in pressure on the medial aspect of the metatarsophalangeal joint (58.3 ± 32.8 versus 42.6 ± 32.8, p=0.026, d=0.49), increased pressure under the midfoot (70.7 ± 25.7 versus 78.7 ± 23.6, p=0.029, d=0.33) and decreased pressure underneath the heel (137.3 ± 39.0 versus 121.3 ± 34.8, p=0.019, d=0.45). SIGNIFICANCE: The intervention footwear and orthoses significantly decreased peak pressure on the medial aspect of the first metatarsophalangeal joint but had no significant effect on the interphalangeal joint. Further studies are required to determine whether these changes are associated with improvements in symptoms associated with hallux valgus.

Nonsurgical management of hallux valgus: findings of a randomised pilot and feasibility trial.

BACKGROUND: Hallux valgus is a common and disabling condition. This randomised pilot and feasibility trial aimed to determine the feasibility of conducting a parallel group randomised trial to evaluate the effectiveness of a nonsurgical intervention for reducing pain associated with hallux valgus. METHODS: Twenty-eight community-dwelling women with painful hallux valgus were randomised to receive either a multifaceted, nonsurgical intervention (footwear, foot orthoses, foot exercises, advice, and self-management) or usual care (advice and self-management alone). Outcome measures were obtained at baseline, 4, 8 and 12 weeks. The primary outcome was feasibility, evaluated according to demand (recruitment rate and conversion rate), acceptability, adherence, adverse events, and retention rate. Limited efficacy testing was conducted on secondary outcome measures including foot pain, foot muscle strength, general health-related quality of life, use of cointerventions, and participants' perception of overall treatment effect. RESULTS: Between July 8, 2021, and April 22, 2022, we recruited and tested 28 participants (aged 44 to 80 years, mean 60.7, standard deviation 10.7). This period encompassed two COVID-related stay-at-home orders (July 16 to July 27, and August 5 to October 21, 2021). The predetermined feasibility thresholds were met for retention rate, foot pain, mental health-related quality of life, and use of cointerventions, partly met for acceptability, adverse events, and muscle strength, and not met for demand (recruitment rate or conversion rate), adherence, physical health-related quality of life and perception of overall treatment effect. CONCLUSION: In its current form, a randomised trial of footwear, foot orthoses, foot exercises, advice and self-management for relieving pain associated with hallux valgus is not feasible, particularly due to the low adherence with the intervention. However, it is difficult to determine whether the trial would be feasible under different circumstances, particularly due to COVID-19 stay-at-home orders. Future trials will need to consider improving the aesthetics of the footwear and making the exercise program less burdensome. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry (ACTRN12621000645853).

Immediate effects of wearing textured versus smooth insoles on standing balance and spatiotemporal gait patterns when walking over even and uneven surfaces in people with multiple sclerosis.

PURPOSE: To investigate the immediate effects of wearing novel sensory-stimulating textured insoles on balance and gait in 41 people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Assessments of balance (firm/foam surface; eyes open/closed) and walking (when negotiating even/uneven surfaces) were performed wearing textured insoles, smooth insoles, shoes only, and barefoot. Outcome measures were centre of pressure (CoP) movement during standing (elliptical area, sway path velocity) and spatiotemporal gait patterns (stride/step width, stride time, double-limb support time, stride length, velocity). RESULTS: Wearing textured insoles led to reductions in CoP velocity measures when standing on foam with eyes open and closed when compared to barefoot (p values ≤0.02). Textured insoles did not appear to be consistently superior to smooth insoles or shoes only for improving gait. Relative to the insole/shoe conditions, walking barefoot led to poorer gait performance for the even and uneven surface tasks (p values ≤0.03). CONCLUSIONS: For pwMS, stimulating the foot with "texture" appears to provide enhanced sensory input with the capacity to improve CoP movement control during standing; offering a potential new treatment option for balance rehabilitation. Further research is needed to identify which individuals may benefit most from textured insoles.Implications for rehabilitationTextured shoe insoles, designed to stimulate plantar mechanoreceptors, are a novel approach to improve standing balance and walking patterns in people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS).Wearing textured insoles for the first time can lead to improvements in centre of pressure movement control when standing on an unstable compliant supporting surface.Textured insoles offer a potential new treatment technique for balance rehabilitation in pwMS who show early signs of diminished foot sensation.

Footwear, foot orthoses and strengthening exercises for the non-surgical management of hallux valgus: protocol for a randomised pilot and feasibility trial.

BACKGROUND: Hallux valgus is a common and disabling condition. This randomised pilot and feasibility trial aims to determine the feasibility of conducting a fully-powered parallel group randomised trial to evaluate the effectiveness of a multifaceted non-surgical intervention for reducing pain associated with hallux valgus. METHODS: Twenty-eight community-dwelling women with painful hallux valgus will be randomised to receive either a multifaceted, non-surgical intervention (footwear, foot orthoses, foot exercises, advice, and self-management) or advice and self-management alone. Outcome measures will be obtained at baseline, 4, 8 and 12 weeks. The primary outcome is feasibility, which will be evaluated according to demand, acceptability, adherence, adverse events, and retention rate. Limited efficacy testing will be conducted on secondary outcome measures including foot pain (the Manchester-Oxford Foot Questionnaire), foot muscle strength (hand-held dynamometry), general health-related quality of life (the Short Form-12), use of cointerventions, and participants' perception of overall treatment effect. Biomechanical testing will be conducted at baseline to evaluate the immediate effects of the footwear/orthotic intervention on pressure beneath the foot and on the medial aspect of the first metatarsophalangeal joint and hallux. DISCUSSION: This study will determine the feasibility of conducting a fully-powered randomised trial of footwear, foot orthoses, foot exercises, advice and self-management for relieving pain associated with hallux valgus and provide insights into potential mechanisms of effectiveness. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry ( ACTRN12621000645853 ).

Effectiveness of Nonsurgical Interventions for Hallux Valgus: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis investigating the effectiveness of nonsurgical interventions for hallux valgus (HV). METHODS: Medline, CINAHL, Embase, and the Cochrane Library were searched to April 2020, including parallel-group and crossover studies investigating nonsurgical interventions for HV. Two reviewers independently screened articles for inclusion, extracted data, determined risk of bias, and made assessments using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation methodology. Risk of bias was assessed using version 2 of the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool. Effect sizes (mean differences or risk ratios, and 95% confidence intervals) were calculated and pooled where possible for the primary outcomes, foot pain, and HV angle. RESULTS: Eighteen included studies investigated a wide range of nonsurgical interventions for HV. Most studies had small sample sizes and concerns regarding risk of bias. Five separate meta-analyses for foot orthoses, splints, manual therapy, and taping added to foot exercises showed no significant effects on primary outcomes. However, results from 8 studies showed a significant pain reduction with the use of foot orthoses, night splints, dynamic splints, manual therapy, taping added to foot exercises, a multifaceted physical therapy program, and Botox injections. Four studies reported a clinically significant reduction in HV angle with night splints, foot exercises, multifaceted physical therapy, and Botox injections. CONCLUSION: There is a low level of certainty surrounding the effectiveness of nonsurgical interventions for HV, but a reduction in pain appears more likely than improvement in HV angle.

Skin Wound Healing: Normal Macrophage Function and Macrophage Dysfunction in Diabetic Wounds.

Macrophages play a prominent role in wound healing. In the early stages, they promote inflammation and remove pathogens, wound debris, and cells that have apoptosed. Later in the repair process, they dampen inflammation and secrete factors that regulate the proliferation, differentiation, and migration of keratinocytes, fibroblasts, and endothelial cells, leading to neovascularisation and wound closure. The macrophages that coordinate this repair process are complex: they originate from different sources and have distinct phenotypes with diverse functions that act at various times in the repair process. Macrophages in individuals with diabetes are altered, displaying hyperresponsiveness to inflammatory stimulants and increased secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines. They also have a reduced ability to phagocytose pathogens and efferocytose cells that have undergone apoptosis. This leads to a reduced capacity to remove pathogens and, as efferocytosis is a trigger for their phenotypic switch, it reduces the number of M2 reparative macrophages in the wound. This can lead to diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) forming and contributes to their increased risk of not healing and becoming infected, and potentially, amputation. Understanding macrophage dysregulation in DFUs and how these cells might be altered, along with the associated inflammation, will ultimately allow for better therapies that might complement current treatment and increase DFU's healing rates.

Factors associated with type of footwear worn inside the house: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: In specific populations, including those at risk of falls or foot ulcers, indoor footwear is an important aspect of preventative care. This study aims to describe the indoor footwear worn most over the previous year in a sample representative of the Australian inpatient population, and to explore the sociodemographic, medical, foot condition and foot treatment history factors associated with the indoor footwear worn. METHODS: This was a secondary analysis of data collected from inpatients admitted to five hospitals across Queensland, Australia. Sociodemographic information, medical history, foot conditions and foot treatment history were collected as explanatory variables. Outcomes included the self-reported type of indoor footwear (from 16 standard footwear types) worn most in the year prior to hospitalisation, and the category in which the self-reported footwear type was defined according to its features: 'protective', 'non-protective' and 'no footwear'. Multivariate analyses determined explanatory variables independently associated with each type and category. RESULTS: Protective footwear was worn by 11% of participants (including 4% walking shoes, 4% running shoes, 2% oxford shoes), and was independently associated with education above year 10 level (OR 1.78, p = 0.028) and having had foot treatment by a specialist physician (5.06, p = 0.003). Most participants (55%) wore non-protective footwear (including 21% slippers, 15% thongs/flip flops, 7% backless slippers), which was associated with older age (1.03, p < 0.001). No footwear was worn by 34% of participants (30% barefoot, 3% socks only). Those of older age (0.97, p < 0.001) and those in the most disadvantaged socioeconomic group (0.55, p = 0.019) were less likely to wear no footwear (socks or barefoot). CONCLUSIONS: Only one in nine people in a large representative inpatient population wore a protective indoor footwear most of the time in the previous year. Whilst having education levels above year 10 and having received previous foot treatment by a specialist physician were associated with wearing protective footwear indoors, the presence of a range of other medical and foot conditions were not. These findings provide information to enable clinicians, researchers and policymakers to develop interventions aimed at improving indoor footwear habits that may help prevent significant health burdens such as falls and foot ulcers.

Factors associated with wearing inadequate outdoor footwear in populations at risk of foot ulceration: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have investigated if people at risk of foot ulceration actually wear the footwear recommended by best practice guidelines to prevent foot ulceration. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of, and factors associated with, wearing inadequate outdoor footwear in those with diabetes or peripheral neuropathy in an inpatient population. METHODS: This was a secondary analysis of a multi-site cross-sectional study investigating foot conditions in a large representative inpatient population admitted into hospital for any medical reason on one day. A range of explanatory variables were collected from all participants including sociodemographic, medical and foot condition factors. The outcome variable for this study was the self-reported outdoor footwear type worn most by participants outside the house in the year prior to hospitalisation. The self-reported footwear type was then categorised into adequate and inadequate according to footwear features recommended in guidelines for populations at risk of foot ulceration. Logistic regression identified factors independently associated with inadequate footwear in all inpatient participants, and diabetes and neuropathy subgroups. RESULTS: Overall, 47% of a total of 726 inpatients wore inadequate outdoor footwear; 49% of the 171 in the diabetes subgroup and 43% of 159 in the neuropathy subgroup. Wearing inadequate outdoor footwear was independently associated (Odds Ratio (95% Confidence Interval)) with being female in the diabetes (2.7 (1.4-5.2)) and neuropathy subgroups (3.7 (1.8-7.9)) and being female (5.1 (3.7-7.1)), having critical peripheral arterial disease (2.5 (1.1-5.9)) and an amputation (0.3 (0.1-0.7)) in all inpatients (all, p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Almost half of all inpatients at risk of foot ulceration reported wearing outdoor footwear most of the time that did not meet recommendations for prevention. We found women were much more likely to wear inadequate footwear. More work needs to be done to increase the uptake of footwear recommendations in these populations to prevent foot ulceration.

The effectiveness of non-surgical interventions for common plantar digital compressive neuropathy (Morton's neuroma): a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Morton's neuroma (MN) is a compressive neuropathy of the common plantar digital nerve. It is a common compressive neuropathy often causing significant pain which limits footwear choices and weight bearing activities. This paper aims to review non-surgical interventions for MN, to evaluate the evidence base for the clinical management of MN. METHODS: Electronic biomedical databases (CINAHL, EMBASE, MEDLINE and Cochrane) were searched to January 2018 for studies evaluating the effectiveness of non-surgical interventions for Morton's neuroma. Outcome measures of interest were treatment success rate (SR) (binary) and pain as measured using 100-point visual analogue scale (VAS) (continuous). Studies with and without control groups were included and were evaluated for methodological quality using the Downs and Black Quality Index. Results from randomised controlled trials (RCT) were compared between-groups, and case series were compared pre- versus post-treatment. Effect estimates are presented as odds ratios (OR) for binary data or mean differences (MD) for continuous data. Random effects models were used to pool effect estimates across studies where similar treatments were used. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I 2 statistic. RESULTS: A total of 25 studies met the inclusion criteria, seven RCTs and 18 pre/post case series. Eight different interventions were identified, with corticosteroid or sclerosing injections being the most often reported (seven studies each). Results from a meta-analysis of two RCTs found corticosteroid injection decreased pain more than control on VAS (WMD: -5.3, 95%CI: -7.5 to - 3.2). Other RCTs reported efficacy of: manipulation/mobilisation versus control (MD: -15.3, 95%CI: -29.6 to - 1.0); extracorporeal shockwave therapy versus control (MD: -5.9, 95%CI: -21.9 to 10.1). Treatment success was assessed for extracorporeal shockwave therapy versus control (OR: 0.3, 95%CI: 0.0 to 7.1); and corticosteroid injection vs footwear/padding (OR: 6.0, 95%CI: 1.9 to 19.2). Sclerosing and Botox injections, radiofrequency ablation and cryoneurolysis have been investigated by case series studies, however these were of limited methodological quality. CONCLUSIONS: Corticosteroid injections and manipulation/mobilisation are the two interventions with the strongest evidence for pain reduction, however high-quality evidence for a gold standard intervention was not found. Although the evidence base is expanding, further high quality RCTs are needed.

Foot Complications in a Representative Australian Inpatient Population.

We investigated the prevalence and factors independently associated with foot complications in a representative inpatient population (adults admitted for any reason with and without diabetes). We analysed data from the Foot disease in inpatients study, a sample of 733 representative inpatients. Previous amputation, previous foot ulceration, peripheral arterial disease (PAD), peripheral neuropathy (PN), and foot deformity were the foot complications assessed. Sociodemographic, medical, and foot treatment history were collected. Overall, 46.0% had a foot complication with 23.9% having multiple; those with diabetes had higher prevalence of foot complications than those without diabetes (p < 0.01). Previous amputation (4.1%) was independently associated with previous foot ulceration, foot deformity, cerebrovascular accident, and past surgeon treatment (p < 0.01). Previous foot ulceration (9.8%) was associated with PN, PAD, past podiatry, and past nurse treatment (p < 0.02). PAD (21.0%) was associated with older age, males, indigenous people, cancer, PN, and past surgeon treatment (p < 0.02). PN (22.0%) was associated with older age, diabetes, mobility impairment, and PAD (p < 0.05). Foot deformity (22.4%) was associated with older age, mobility impairment, past podiatry treatment, and PN (p < 0.01). Nearly half of all inpatients had a foot complication. Those with foot complications were older, male, indigenous, had diabetes, cerebrovascular accident, mobility impairment, and other foot complications or past foot treatment.

The silent overall burden of foot disease in a representative hospitalised population.

The aims of this study were to investigate the point prevalence, and associated independent factors, for foot disease (ulcers, infections and ischaemia) in a representative hospitalised population. We included 733 (83%) of 883 eligible adult inpatients across five representative Australian hospitals on one day. We collected an extensive range of self-reported characteristics from participants. We examined all participants to clinically diagnose foot disease (ulcers, infections and ischaemia) and amputation procedures. Overall, 72 participants (9·8%) [95% confidence interval (CI):7·2-11·3%] had foot disease. Foot ulcers, in 49 participants (6·7%), were independently associated with peripheral neuropathy, peripheral arterial disease, previous foot ulcers, trauma and past surgeon treatment (P < 0·05). Foot infections, in 24 (3·3%), were independently associated with previous foot ulcers, trauma and past surgeon treatment (P < 0·01). Ischaemia, in 33 (4·5%), was independently associated with older age, smokers and past surgeon treatment (P < 0·01). Amputation procedures, in 14 (1·9%), were independently associated with foot infections (P < 0·01). We found that one in every ten inpatients had foot disease, and less than half of those had diabetes. After adjusting for diabetes, factors linked with foot disease were similar to those identified in diabetes-related literature. The overall inpatient foot disease burden is similar in size to well-known medical conditions and should receive similar attention.

Direct inpatient burden caused by foot-related conditions: a multisite point-prevalence study.

OBJECTIVE: The aims of this point-prevalence study were to investigate a representative inpatient population to determine the prevalence of people admitted to hospital for the reason of a foot-related condition, and identify associated independent factors. METHODS: Participants were adult inpatients in 5 different representative hospitals, admitted for any reason on the day of data collection. Maternity, mental health and cognitively impaired inpatients were excluded. Participants were surveyed on a range of self-reported demographic, social determinant, medical history, foot disease history, self-care, footwear, past foot treatment prior to hospitalisation and reason for admission variables. Physical examinations were performed to clinically diagnose a range of foot disease and foot risk factor variables. Independent factors associated with being admitted to hospital for the primary or secondary reason of a foot-related condition were analysed using multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: Overall, 733 participants were included; mean (SD) age 62 (19) years, male 55.8%. Foot-related conditions were the primary reason for admission in 54 participants (7.4% (95% CI 5.7% to 9.5%)); 36 for foot disease (4.9%), 15 foot trauma (2.1%). Being admitted for the primary reason of a foot-related condition was independently associated with foot infection, critical peripheral arterial disease, foot trauma and past foot treatment by a general practitioner and surgeon (p<0.01). Foot-related conditions were a secondary reason for admission in 28 participants (3.8% (2.6% to 5.6%)), and were independently associated with diabetes and current foot ulcer (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: This study, the first in a representative inpatient population, suggests the direct inpatient burden caused by foot-related conditions is significantly higher than previously appreciated. Findings indicate 1 in every 13 inpatients was primarily admitted because of a foot-related condition with most due to foot disease or foot trauma. Future strategies are recommended to investigate and intervene in the considerable inpatient burden caused by foot-related conditions.

Non-surgical treatment of hallux valgus: a current practice survey of Australian podiatrists.

BACKGROUND: Patients with hallux valgus (HV) frequently present to podiatrists for non-surgical management, with a wide range of concerns including pain, footwear difficulty and quality of life impacts. There is little research evidence guiding podiatrists' clinical decisions surrounding non-surgical management of HV. Thus practitioners rely largely upon clinical experience and expert opinion. This survey was conducted to determine whether a consensus exists among Australian podiatrists regarding non-surgical treatment of HV, and secondly to explore common presenting concerns and physical examination findings associated with HV. METHODS: An online survey was distributed to Australian podiatrists in mid-2013 via the professional association in each state (approximately 1900 members). Podiatrists indicated common treatments recommended, presenting problems and physical examination findings associated with HV in juveniles, adults and older adults. Proportions were calculated to determine the most common responses, and Chi-squared tests were used to examine differences in treatment recommendations according to HV patient age group and podiatrist demographics. RESULTS: Of 210 survey respondents, 65 % (136) were female and 80 % (168) were private practitioners. Complete survey responses were received from 159 podiatrists for juvenile HV, 146 for adults and 141 for older adults. Seven different non-surgical treatment options were commonly recommended (by >50 % podiatrists), although recommendations differed between adult, older adult and juvenile HV. Common treatments included footwear advice or modification, custom and prefabricated orthotic devices, addition of padding, and muscle strengthening/retraining exercises. Padding was more likely to be utilised in older adults, while exercises were more likely to be prescribed for juveniles. A diverse range of presenting problems and physical examination findings were reported to be associated with HV. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the lack of empirical evidence in this area, there appears to be a consensus among Australian podiatrists regarding non-surgical management of HV, and these recommendations are largely aligned with available clinical consensus documents. Presenting concerns and physical examination findings associated with HV are diverse and have implications for treatment decisions. Management strategies differ across patient age groups, thus any updated clinical guidelines should differentiate between adult and juvenile HV. This study provides useful data to inform clinical practice, education, policy and future research.

Prevalence of foot disease and risk factors in general inpatient populations: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To systematically review studies reporting the prevalence in general adult inpatient populations of foot disease disorders (foot wounds, foot infections, collective 'foot disease') and risk factors (peripheral arterial disease (PAD), peripheral neuropathy (PN), foot deformity). METHODS: A systematic review of studies published between 1980 and 2013 was undertaken using electronic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE and CINAHL). Keywords and synonyms relating to prevalence, inpatients, foot disease disorders and risk factors were used. Studies reporting foot disease or risk factor prevalence data in general inpatient populations were included. Included study's reference lists and citations were searched and experts consulted to identify additional relevant studies. 2 authors, blinded to each other, assessed the methodological quality of included studies. Applicable data were extracted by 1 author and checked by a second author. Prevalence proportions and SEs were calculated for all included studies. Pooled prevalence estimates were calculated using random-effects models where 3 eligible studies were available. RESULTS: Of the 4972 studies initially identified, 78 studies reporting 84 different cohorts (total 60 231 517 participants) were included. Foot disease prevalence included: foot wounds 0.01-13.5% (70 cohorts), foot infections 0.05-6.4% (7 cohorts), collective foot disease 0.2-11.9% (12 cohorts). Risk factor prevalence included: PAD 0.01-36.0% (10 cohorts), PN 0.003-2.8% (6 cohorts), foot deformity was not reported. Pooled prevalence estimates were only able to be calculated for pressure ulcer-related foot wounds 4.6% (95% CI 3.7% to 5.4%)), diabetes-related foot wounds 2.4% (1.5% to 3.4%), diabetes-related foot infections 3.4% (0.2% to 6.5%), diabetes-related foot disease 4.7% (0.3% to 9.2%). Heterogeneity was high in all pooled estimates (I(2)=94.2-97.8%, p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This review found high heterogeneity, yet suggests foot disease was present in 1 in every 20 inpatients and a major risk factor in 1 in 3 inpatients. These findings are likely an underestimate and more robust studies are required to provide more precise estimates.

Functional impairments characterizing mild, moderate, and severe hallux valgus.

OBJECTIVE: Hallux valgus (HV) has been linked to functional disability and increased risk of falls, but mechanisms underpinning functional disability are unclear. This study investigated functional performance, muscle strength, and plantar pressures in adults with mild, moderate, and severe HV compared to controls, while considering the influence of foot pain. METHODS: Sixty adults with HV (classified as mild, moderate, and severe on dorsalplantar radiographs) and 30 controls participated. Measures included hallux plantar flexion and abduction strength, walking performance, postural sway, and forefoot plantar pressures. Multivariate analysis of covariance and pairwise comparisons (P < 0.05 after Bonferroni adjustment) were used to investigate differences between groups, adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, and foot pain. RESULTS: Hallux plantar flexion and abduction strength were significantly reduced in those with moderate (mean differences: plantar flexion -45.8 N, abduction -12.3 N; P < 0.001) and severe HV (plantar flexion -50.1 N; P < 0.001, abduction -11.2 N; P = 0.01) compared to controls. A significant reduction in hallux peak pressure and pressure-time integral was evident in moderate (peak pressure -90.8 kPa; P < 0.001) and severe HV (peak pressure -106.2 kPa; P < 0.001) compared to controls. Those with severe HV also demonstrated increased mediolateral postural sway in single leg stance compared to controls (3.5 cm; P = 0.01). CONCLUSION: Moderate to severe HV is associated with reduced hallux plantar pressures and strength measures, while relatively normal function compared to controls was found in those with mild deformity. Greater understanding of specific functional deficits associated with different stages of HV will help inform clinical management and future research.

Correlates of foot pain severity in adults with hallux valgus: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Hallux valgus (HV) is highly prevalent and associated with progressive first metatarsophalangeal joint subluxation and osteoarthritis. The link between structural HV deformity and foot pain is unclear. This study investigated possible explanatory factors surrounding foot pain in HV, including radiographic HV angle and signs of joint degeneration. METHODS: Participants were 60 adults (53 female) with HV aged 20 to 75 years. Participant demographics and a range of radiographic, clinical and functional measures were considered potential correlates of foot pain. Self-reported foot pain (visual analogue scales and a dichotomous definition) was considered the dependent variable. Multivariate modelling was used to determine which characteristics and measures explained pain, with univariate analyses first used to screen potential variables. RESULTS: Approximately 20 to 30% of the variance in foot pain associated with HV could be explained by patient characteristics such as poorer general health status, lower educational attainment and increased occupational physical activity levels, in combination with some dynamic physical characteristics such as hallux plantarflexion weakness and reduced force-time integral under the second metatarsal during gait. Neither increasing lateral deviation of the hallux (HV angle) nor presence of first metatarsophalangeal joint osteoarthritis was associated with foot pain. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that passive structural factors, including HV angle, do not appear to be significant correlates of foot pain intensity in HV. Our data demonstrate the importance of considering patient characteristics such as general health and physical activity levels when assessing foot pain associated with HV.