title: Foot orthotics for low back pain: The state of our understanding and recommendations for future research.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of the article is to evaluate the literature on the use of foot orthotics for low back pain and to make specific recommendations for future research.
  
  
  METHODS
  Database searches were conducted using PubMed, EBSCO, GALE, Google Scholar, and clinicaltrials.gov. The biomedical literature was reviewed to determine the current state of knowledge on the benefits of foot orthotics for low back pain related to biomechanical mechanisms and clinical outcomes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  It may be argued that foot orthotics are experimental, investigational, or unproven for low back pain due to lack of sufficient evidence for their clinical effectiveness. This conclusion is based upon lack of high quality randomized controlled trials (RCTs). However, there is extensive research on biomechanical mechanisms underlying the benefits of orthotics that may be used to address this gap. Additionally, promising pilot studies are beginning to emerge in the literature and ongoing large-scale RCTs are addressing effects of foot orthotics on chronic low back pain.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based upon the critical evaluation of the current research on foot orthotics related to biomechanical mechanisms and clinical outcomes, recommendations for future research to address the evidence-practice gaps on the use of foot orthotics for low back pain are presented.
authors.affiliation: Research Department, New York Chiropractic College, United States. Electronic address: opapuga@nycc.edu.
authors.forename: M Owen
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Papuga
authors.affiliation: Department of Research, National University of Health Sciences, United States.
authors.forename: Jerrilyn
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cambron
mesh_terms: D035843:Biomedical Research; D061826:Foot Orthoses / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic
keywords: Foot arch supports; Foot orthoses; Foot orthosis; Foot orthotic; Insoles; Low back pain