Table 3 Characteristics of included qualitative studies

McAuliffe 2017

A qualitative, interpretive description design

To explore the lived experience of people with AT

Community dwelling, Ireland

N = 8 (6 male and 2 female)

N = 7 (Midportion AT)

N = 1 (Insertional AT)

Age: Mean (SD) 40 (NS)

Mean duration of symptoms = 20.5 months

Semi-structured interviews

Ceravolo 2018

Grounded theory

To explore the quality of life and lived experience of people with AT

On-line survey distributed through email and social media

Focus groups: Community dwelling, Canberra, Australia

N = 92 (online survey) (49 male and 43 female)

Mean duration of symptoms = 13.88 (SD 24.52) months

Age: refer to Table 2

N = 11 (Focus group)

Number of males and females = NS

Duration of symptoms = NS

On-line survey & focus groups

Turner 2020

A qualitative, interpretive description design

To explore the lived experience of people with AT

Community dwelling, Melbourne, Australia

N = 15 (8 male and 7 female)

N = 4 (Midportion AT)

N = 11 (Insertional AT)

Age: Mean (SD) 45.2 (NS)

Mean duration of symptoms 8 months

Semi-structured interviews

Cotchett 2020

A qualitative, interpretive description design

To explore the lived experience of people with PHP

Community dwelling, Melbourne, Australia

N = 18 (12 females, 6 males)

Age: Mean (SD) 58.2 (6.6)

Mean duration of heel pain = 15.9 (SD 16.3) months

Semi-structured interviews

Yeowell 2021

Gadamerian hermeneutic phenomenology

To explore the experiences of people living with painful OA ankle and their views about the non-surgical management of this condition.

National Health Service orthopaedic clinic, North West England

N = 9 (8 males, 1 female)

54 years (range 30–70)

Median duration of symptoms = 2 years (range 1–20 years

Semi-structured interviews