Assessment of the Efficacy of Insoles in Treatment of Foot pain in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients

Abstract

Background: Customized toot insoles. Were commonly used as a conservative treatment for the foot pain in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) to prevent and control joint damage, and to improve foot function. Objective: to assess the efficacy of total contact soft foot insoles in treatment of foot pain in RA patients. Methods: 20 RA patients with foot pain were randomized into 10 patient as foot insole group plus physiotherapy and foot exercise and other 10 patients without insole, with only physiotherapy and foot exercise. Foot pain and disability were assessed by visual analogue scale (VAS) and foot function index (FFI%). other parameters to assess foot involvement such as conventional radiography and diagnostic ultrasound and power Doppler ultrasound to assess joint involvement in addition to pedobarography (planter pressure assessment) to measure the static planter peak pressure (SPPP) and dynamic planter peak pressure (DPPP) of both feet. Results: At the end of the study period analyses were performed on data collected at baseline and after 2 months of randomized clinical trial. Twenty women (mean age, 39.20±5.35years; mean disease duration, 7.68±3.71y‐ears) were evaluated, before and after clinical trial. We found highly significant reduced in pain, disability scales and joint inflammation in the insole group more than in non‐insole group. Conclusion: customized total contact foot insole with physiotherapy and foot exercise have a significant positive effect on the pain, disability, joint and soft tissue inflammation and planter pressure distribution.