Articles

A survey of foot orthoses prescription habits amongst podiatrists in the UK, Australia and New Zealand

Foot orthoses are frequently used but little is known about which types are used in contemporary practice. This study aimed to explore the types of foot orthoses currently used by podiatrists and the prescript...

Authors: Lara S. Chapman, Anthony C. Redmond, Karl B. Landorf, Keith Rome, Anne-Maree Keenan, Robin Waxman, Begonya Alcacer-Pitarch, Heidi J. Siddle and Michael R. Backhouse

How does a short period of exercise effect toe pressures and toe-brachial indices? A cross-sectional exploratory study

Whilst post exercise ankle-brachial indices (ABI) are commonly used to help identify peripheral arterial disease (PAD), the role of post exercise toe pressures (TP) or toe-brachial indices (TBI) is unclear. The a...

Authors: Peta Ellen Tehan, Sean George Sadler, Sean Michael Lanting and Vivienne Helaine Chuter

Validation of a weight bearing ankle equinus value in older adults with diabetes

Accurate measurement of ankle joint dorsiflexion is clinically important as a restriction has been linked to many foot and ankle pathologies, as well as increased ulcer risk and delayed ulcer healing in people...

Authors: A. Searle MOsteo, M. J. Spink and V. H. Chuter

Antibiotic prophylaxis in foot and ankle surgery: a systematic review of the literature

With the advent of bacterial resistance, it is important now more than ever to evaluate use of antibiotic chemoprophylaxis in foot and ankle surgery. Within this area of the body there may be less dissection, ...

Authors: Mr Ravi Krishān Modha, Chris Morriss-Roberts, Madeleine Smither, Jonathan Larholt and Ian Reilly

Reliability of a multi-segment foot model in a neutral cushioning shoe during treadmill walking

Detailed kinematics of the foot has been frequently reported on in the literature, specifically using various multi-segment foot models. It is important to identify the reliability of a multi-segment foot mode...

Authors: Megan E. R. Balsdon and Colin E. Dombroski

Physical and mechanical therapies for lower limb symptoms in children with Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder and Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome: a systematic review

Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder and Hypermobile Ehlers Danlos Syndrome are two common heritable genetic disorders of connective tissue. Both conditions are characterised by excessive joint range of motion and ...

Authors: Benjamin Peterson, Andrea Coda, Verity Pacey and Fiona Hawke

Welcome to the new editorial team

Authors: Keith Rome and Catherine Bowen

Prefabricated foot orthoses compared to a placebo intervention for the treatment of chronic nonspecific low back pain: a study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

Prefabricated foot orthoses are used to treat chronic nonspecific low back pain, however their effectiveness and potential mechanism of action is unclear. The primary aims of the study are to investigate the e...

Authors: Sean Sadler, Martin Spink, Samuel Cassidy and Vivienne Chuter

Distances from the deep plantar arch to the lesser metatarsals at risk during osteotomy: a fresh cadaveric study

The deep plantar arch is formed by anastomosis of the lateral and deep plantar arteries. Osteotomy of the lesser metatarsals is often used to treat metatarsalgia and forefoot deformity. Although it is known th...

Authors: Ichiro Tonogai, Fumio Hayashi, Yoshihiro Tsuruo and Koichi Sairyo

Effect of plano-valgus foot posture on midfoot kinematics during barefoot walking in an adolescent population

Plano-valgus is a common alteration of the paediatric foot, characterized by valgus hindfoot, foot pronation and drop of the medial longitudinal arch. Despite their importance in the diagnosis and classificati...

Authors: Paolo Caravaggi, Chiarella Sforza, Alberto Leardini, Nicola Portinaro and Artemisia Panou

Charcot neuroarthropathy patient education among podiatrists in Scotland: a modified Delphi approach

This evaluation sought to determine current Charcot neuroarthropathy (CN) diabetes patient education practices among Scottish National Health Service (NHS) and academic podiatrists and evaluate novel visual to...

Authors: Benjamin Bullen, Matthew Young, Carla McArdle and Mairghread Ellis

Sex-related differences in coordination and variability among foot joints during running

Women, as compared with men, have a higher proportion of injuries in the ankle/foot region. However, the reason for this sex-related difference in foot injuries remains unclear. Recently, joint coordination an...

Authors: Tomoya Takabayashi, Mutsuaki Edama, Takuma Inai and Masayoshi Kubo

Special theme article: science and sociology of footwear

Authors: Anita Ellen Williams

Effect of high and low-supportive footwear on female tri-planar knee moments during single limb landing

Higher landing-related external knee joint moments at later stages of female pubertal development likely contribute to a higher incidence of non-contact anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. Athletic footwe...

Authors: Timothy A. Sayer, Rana S. Hinman, Kade L. Paterson, Kim L. Bennell, Karine Fortin and Adam L. Bryant

Peroneal muscle activity during different types of walking

As the most common form of movement, walking happens not only on flat but also on uneven surfaces, where constant loss and regaining of balance occur. The main balancing function of the ankle joint is performe...

Authors: Rok Bavdek, Anže Zdolšek, Vojko Strojnik and Aleš Dolenec

Self-reported social and activity restrictions accompany local impairments in posterior tibial tendon dysfunction: a systematic review

Posterior tibial tendon dysfunction (PTTD) is a painful, progressive tendinopathy that reportedly predominates in middle-age, overweight women. There is no evidence based guidelines that clinicians can use to ...

Authors: Megan H. Ross, Michelle Smith, Melanie L. Plinsinga and Bill Vicenzino

Foot pain and foot health in an educated population of adults: results from the Glasgow Caledonian University Alumni Foot Health Survey

Foot pain is common amongst the general population and impacts negatively on physical function and quality of life. Associations between personal health characteristics, lifestyle/behaviour factors and foot pa...

Authors: Gordon J. Hendry, Linda Fenocchi, Jim Woodburn and Martijn Steultjens

The inter- and intra-rater reliability of the Maestro and Barroco metatarsal length measurement techniques

The relationship between metatarsal length and various forefoot pathologies is a topic of contention in Orthopaedics. The results of such investigations have been shown to depend on the method of metatarsal le...

Authors: Zainab Ali, Hassan Karim, Navid Wali and Reza Naraghi

Entry points of nutrient arteries at risk during osteotomy of the lesser metatarsals: a fresh cadaveric study

Osteotomies of the lesser (second to fourth) metatarsals are often used to correct forefoot deformities. However, certain areas of the lesser metatarsals where arteries may be prone to damage during surgery, a...

Authors: Ichiro Tonogai, Fumio Hayashi, Yoshihiro Tsuruo and Koichi Sairyo

Journal of Foot and Ankle Research: the first ten years

Journal of Foot and Ankle Research (JFAR) was launched in July 2008 as the official research publication of the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists (UK) and the Australasian Podiatry Council, replacing bot...

Authors: Hylton B. Menz, Alan M. Borthwick and Catherine J. Bowen

A randomised cross over study to evaluate the performance of a novel ankle dorsiflexion measurement device for novice users

The ankle joint is a common site of musculoskeletal pathology. Measurement of its functional range of motion is a primary indicator for rehabilitation outcomes in therapy settings. The present study was design...

Authors: Peter R. Worsley, Caitlan Conington, Holly Stuart, Alice Patterson and Dan L. Bader

Incorrectly fitted footwear, foot pain and foot disorders: a systematic search and narrative review of the literature

Correct footwear fitting is acknowledged as being vitally important, as incorrectly fitted footwear has been linked to foot pathology. The aim of this narrative review was to determine the prevalence of incorr...

Authors: Andrew K. Buldt and Hylton B. Menz

Being barefoot. Prevalence at home, in school and during sport: a cross-sectional survey of 714 New Zealand secondary school boys

It may be assumed that a combination of culture, climate and economic resource are the major reasons that non-industrialised countries have a higher prevalence of barefoot activity. New Zealand is an industria...

Authors: Peter Francis, Grant Schofield and Lisa Mackay

Effectiveness of a multicenter training programme to teach point-of-care vascular ultrasound for the detection of peripheral arterial disease in people with diabetes

The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a training programme to teach a focused bedside ultrasound scan (PAD-scan; Podiatry Ankle Duplex Scan) for the detection of arterial disease i...

Authors: Pasha Normahani, Rishi Agrawal, Vasilliki Bravis, Agnieszka Falinska, Linda Bloomfield, Zaheer Mehar, Dawn Gaulton, Alex Sangster, Tracey Arkle, Corinna Gomm, Mohamed Aslam, Nigel J. Standfield and Usman Jaffer

Implementing a podiatry prescribing mentoring program in a public health service: a cost-description study

In the management of diabetes and high-risk patients, timely treatment with scheduled medicines is critical to prevent severe infections and reduce the risk of lower extremity amputation. However, in Australia...

Authors: Anna G. Couch, Jonathan Foo, Alicia M. James, Stephen Maloney and Cylie M. Williams

Big issues for small feet: developmental, biomechanical and clinical narratives on children’s footwear

The effects of footwear on the development of children’s feet has been debated for many years and recent work from the developmental and biomechanical literature has challenged long-held views about footwear a...

Authors: Stewart C. Morrison, Carina Price, Juliet McClymont and Chris Nester

Characteristics of footwear worn by people with systemic lupus erythematosus: a comparison with age- and sex-matched healthy controls: a pilot study

To determine characteristics of footwear worn by people with systematic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Authors: Sarah Stewart, Monique Keys, Angela Brenton-Rule, Ashok Aiyer, Nicola Dalbeth and Keith Rome

Multidisciplinary recommendations for diagnosis and treatment of foot problems in people with rheumatoid arthritis

Foot problems in people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are highly prevalent and have a substantial impact on quality of life. Healthcare professionals from various professions can be involved in the management...

Authors: Marloes Tenten-Diepenmaat, Marike van der Leeden, Thea P. M. Vliet Vlieland and Joost Dekker

South African podiatry students’ perceptions of feedback given as part of clinical training

As part of their clinical training podiatry students spend time in clinical settings treating patients under the supervision of qualified podiatrists. The role and purpose of feedback during such clinical trai...

Authors: Simiso Ntuli, Noleen Nomthi September and Nozipho Sithole

Changes in foot pain, structure and function following bariatric surgery

Bariatric surgery candidates have a high prevalence of foot pain, depression and elevated plantar pressures. There is, however, limited research into how these factors interact pre- and post-surgery. The aims ...

Authors: Tom P. Walsh, Tiffany K. Gill, Angela M. Evans, Alison Yaxley, Jacob A. Chisholm, Lilian Kow, John B. Arnold and E. Michael Shanahan

Effect of knee unloading shoes on regional plantar forces in people with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis – an exploratory study

Knee ‘unloading’ footwear can reduce the external knee adduction moment in people with knee osteoarthritis, yet effects of these shoes on regional plantar forces are unknown. We evaluated the effects of unload...

Authors: Joyce A. C. van Tunen, Kade L. Paterson, Tim V. Wrigley, Ben R. Metcalf, Jonas B. Thorlund and Rana S. Hinman

Development of the infant foot as a load bearing structure: study protocol for a longitudinal evaluation (the Small Steps study)

An improved understanding of the structural and functional development of the paediatric foot is fundamental to a strong theoretical framework for health professionals and scientists. An infant’s transition fr...

Authors: Carina Price, Juliet McClymont, Farina Hashmi, Stewart C. Morrison and Christopher Nester

Sarcopenia increases the risk for mortality in patients who undergo amputation for diabetic foot

Although there have been reports that diabetes affects the prevalence of sarcopenia, no studies have examined the relationship between sarcopenia and mortality in patients undergoing leg amputation. The purpos...

Authors: You Keun Kim, Ho Seong Lee, Jae Jung Ryu, Hye In Lee and Sang Gyo Seo

An anatomically-based masking protocol for the assessment of in-shoe plantar pressure measurement of the forefoot

The area beneath the metatarsal heads is a common location of foot pain, which is often associated with high plantar pressures. Current plantar pressure assessment protocols focus mainly on the gross area of t...

Authors: Saeed Forghany, Daniel R. Bonanno, Hylton B. Menz and Karl B. Landorf

Sociology of the professions: what it means for podiatry

The health professions have progressed and evolved considerably over the last few decades in response to demographic, technological, societal and political changes. They continue to do so as the volume and com...

Authors: Olivia King, Alan Borthwick, Susan Nancarrow and Sandra Grace

Management of peripheral arterial disease in diabetes: a national survey of podiatry practice in the United Kingdom

We aimed to investigate podiatry practice in diagnosing peripheral arterial disease (PAD) in diabetes, decision making once PAD is suspected and limitations of referral pathways.

Authors: Pasha Normahani, Chira Mustafa, Nigel J. Standfield, Claire Duguid, Martin Fox and Usman Jaffer

Reliability and correlates of cross-sectional area of abductor hallucis and the medial belly of the flexor hallucis brevis measured by ultrasound

Weakness of the intrinsic foot muscles is thought to produce deformity, disability and pain. Assessing intrinsic foot muscles in isolation is a challenge; however ultrasound might provide a solution. The aims ...

Authors: Penelope J. Latey, Joshua Burns, Elizabeth J. Nightingale, Jillian L. Clarke and Claire E. Hiller

UK podiatrists’ experiences of podiatry services for people living with arthritis: a qualitative investigation

Provision of podiatry services, like other therapies in the UK, is an area that lacks guidance by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Many individuals living with arthritis in the UK are not...

Authors: Louise McCulloch, Alan Borthwick, Anthony Redmond, Katherine Edwards, Rafael Pinedo-Villanueva, Daniel Prieto-Alhambra, Andrew Judge, Nigel K. Arden and Catherine J. Bowen

The PodPAD project: a podiatry-led integrated pathway for people with peripheral arterial disease in the UK – a pilot study

Peripheral arterial disease affects the lower limb and is associated with diabetes, high cholesterol, smoking and obesity. It increases the risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. It can be symptomatic...

Authors: Lisa Farndon, John Stephenson, Oliver Binns-Hall, Kayleigh Knight and Sally Fowler-Davis

The identification and appraisal of assessment tools used to evaluate metatarsus adductus: a systematic review of their measurement properties

Metatarsus adductus is the most common congenital foot deformity in newborns. It involves adduction of the metatarsals at the Lisfranc joint. A systematic literature review was conducted to investigate the fol...

Authors: Nicole Marshall, Emily Ward and Cylie M. Williams

A protocol for a randomised controlled trial of prefabricated versus customised foot orthoses for people with rheumatoid arthritis: the FOCOS RA trial [Foot Orthoses – Customised v Off-the-Shelf in Rheumatoid Arthritis]

Foot pain is common in rheumatoid arthritis and appears to persist despite modern day medical management. Several clinical practice guidelines currently recommend the use of foot orthoses for the treatment of ...

Authors: Kellie S. Gallagher, Jon Godwin, Gordon J. Hendry, Martijn Steultjens and Jim Woodburn

Footwear choices for painful feet – an observational study exploring footwear and foot problems in women

A high percentage of the population report footwear related foot pain, yet there is limited research on the effect footwear has on the development of this pain. The aim of this study was to establish whether f...

Authors: Moira McRitchie, Helen Branthwaite and Nachiappan Chockalingam

Paediatric flexible flat foot: how are we measuring it and are we getting it right? A systematic review

Flexible flat foot is a normal observation in typically developing children, however, some children with flat feet present with pain and impaired lower limb function. The challenge for health professionals is ...

Authors: Helen A. Banwell, Maisie E. Paris, Shylie Mackintosh and Cylie M. Williams

Reliability of a novel thermal imaging system for temperature assessment of healthy feet

Thermal imaging is a useful modality for identifying preulcerative lesions (“hot spots”) in diabetic foot patients. Despite its recognised potential, at present, there is no readily available instrument for ro...

Authors: N. L. Petrova, A. Whittam, A. MacDonald, S. Ainarkar, A. N. Donaldson, J. Bevans, J. Allen, P. Plassmann, B. Kluwe, F. Ring, L. Rogers, R. Simpson, G. Machin and M. E. Edmonds

Independent factors associated with wearing different types of outdoor footwear in a representative inpatient population: a cross-sectional study

Footwear can have both a positive and negative impact on lower limb health and mobility across the lifespan, influencing the risk of foot pain, ulceration, and falls in those at risk. Choice of footwear can be...

Authors: Alex L. Barwick, Jaap J. van Netten, Lloyd F. Reed and Peter A. Lazzarini

Metatarsophalangeal joint extension changes ultrasound measurements for plantar fascia thickness

Ultrasound is an inexpensive method for quantifying plantar fascia thickness, especially in those with plantar fasciitis. Ultrasound has also been used to assess the effectiveness of various treatments for pla...

Authors: Michael J. Granado, Everett B. Lohman III, Keith E. Gordon and Noha S. Daher

Survey of ultrasound practice amongst podiatrists in the UK

Ultrasound in podiatry practice encompasses musculoskeletal ultrasound imaging, vascular hand-held Doppler ultrasound and therapeutic ultrasound. Sonography practice is not regulated by the Health and Care Pro...

Authors: Heidi J. Siddle, Aimie Patience, James Coughtrey, Jean Mooney, Martin Fox and Lindsey Cherry

Inverted Rearfoot posture in subjects with coexisting patellofemoral osteoarthritis in medial knee osteoarthritis: an exploratory study

While abnormal rearfoot posture and its relationship to patellofemoral (PF) pain has been thoroughly discussed in the literature, its relationship to patellofemoral osteoarthritis (PFOA) has not been determine...

Authors: Hirotaka Iijima, Hiroshi Ohi, Naoto Fukutani, Tomoki Aoyama, Eishi Kaneda, Kaoru Abe, Masaki Takahashi and Shuichi Matsuda

Wide-pulse, high-frequency, low-intensity neuromuscular electrical stimulation has potential for targeted strengthening of an intrinsic foot muscle: a feasibility study

Strengthening the intrinsic foot muscles is a poorly understood and largely overlooked area. In this study, we explore the feasibility of strengthening m. abductor hallucis (AH) with a specific paradigm of neurom...

Authors: Darren C. James, Matthew C. Solan and Katya N. Mileva

A minimal markerset for three-dimensional foot function assessment: measuring navicular drop and drift under dynamic conditions

The validity of predicting foot pronation occurring mainly at the midfoot by surrogate measures from the rearfoot, like eversion excursion, is limited. The dynamic navicular mobility in terms of vertical navic...

Authors: Patric Eichelberger, Angela Blasimann, Nicole Lutz, Fabian Krause and Heiner Baur