Foot Orthoses significantly reduces pain in adults with flexible flatfoot

A recent study published in the BMC Musculoskeletal Disorder found that Orthoses work effectively in adults with flexible flatfoot by reducing pain, however no other conclusive highlights were drawn out.

Flexible flatfoot is a common condition in which the arch of the foot collapses when weight-bearing, which can cause pain and discomfort. Orthoses, or shoe inserts, are often prescribed as a treatment for flexible flatfoot. The team led by Leonoor aimed to determine the effectiveness of orthoses for flexible flatfeet in terms of patient-reported outcomes in children and adults. The study searched several databases for relevant studies and included randomized controlled trials (RCT) and prospective studies in which patient reported outcomes in an orthoses group were compared with a no orthoses or sham sole group.

The study included a total of nine studies, with four RCT in children and four RCT and one prospective study in adults. A meta-analysis of multiple studies with the same outcome measures found that pain reduction between baseline and follow-up was significantly larger in the orthoses group in adults compared to the control groups. However, there was considerable heterogeneity between the studies and the results for children were inconclusive.

The results of the meta-analysis demonstrated that foot orthoses were associated with a statistically significant reduction in pain in adults compared to control groups, as measured by the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS).

There was considerable heterogeneity among the studies, and the authors could not conclude that foot orthoses were useful for flexible flat feet in children and adults due to the heterogeneity in study designs.

However, the study provides valuable insight into the current state of knowledge on this topic and highlights the need for further research to improve the treatment options for patients with flexible flatfoot.

Source:

Oerlemans, L. N. T., Peeters, C. M. M., Munnik-Hagewoud, R., Nijholt, I. M., Witlox, A., & Verheyen, C. C. P. M. (2023). Foot orthoses for flexible flatfeet in children and adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of patient-reported outcomes. In BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders (Vol. 24, Issue 1). Springer Science and Business Media LLC. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-022-06044-8