Foot orthoses in the management of chronic subtalar and talo crural joint pain in rheumatoid arthritis.
BACKGROUND
This pilot study investigated whether semi-rigid and soft orthoses had an effect on pain, disability and functional limitation in participants with chronic rheumatoid hindfoot involvement.


METHODS
Participants with chronic hindfoot pain were randomly assigned to 2 groups, commencing either with semi-rigid Subortholene orthoses or soft EVA orthoses. The Foot Function Index and the Ritchie Articular Index were administered pre- and post-intervention, which lasted for 3 months. Following a 2 week washout period, each group was switched over to the other type of orthoses.


RESULTS
Nine female participants (mean age 52.2years (SD 9.1); mean weight 71kg (SD 12.64); mean height 160cm (SD 5.18)) with a mean RA duration of 11.7years (SD 7.83), and a mean ankle/subtalar joint pain duration of 5.7years (SD 2.62), completed the programme. Mean improvement in FFI score for both orthoses resulted in the same statistical significance (p=0.001). Statistically significant reduction in pain, disability and functional limitation was observed for both interventions, together with improvement in the Ritchie Articular Index score.


CONCLUSIONS
Both Subortholene and EVA orthoses significantly reduced pain, disability and functional limitations in participants with chronic ankle/subtalar joint pain in rheumatoid arthritis.
Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Malta, Msida 2080, Malta. Electronic address: alfred.gatt@um.edu.mt.
Alfred
A
Gatt
Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Malta, Msida 2080, Malta.
Cynthia
C
Formosa
School of Health Science, University of Brighton, 49 Darley Road, Eastbourne BN20 7UR, United Kingdom. Electronic address: S.Otter@brighton.ac.uk.
Simon
S
Otter
D018771:Arthralgia / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D061826:Foot Orthoses; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013640:Tarsal Joints / Q000503:physiopathology*
Chronic ankle arthritis; Foot Function Index; Foot orthoses; Hindfoot rheumatoid disease