Footwear problems of people with musculoskeletal disease highlighted in new report

People with chronic musculoskeletal diseases often have problems finding footwear and there should be a total re-think of current options, says a report published in Arthritis Care & Research.
Foot pain and deformities are common in people with musculoskeletal diseases but there is little research examining the issues this causes in terms of finding shoes. So experts from Glasgow Caledonian University in partnership with Auckland University of Technology in New Zealand investigated the main issues surrounding the footwear experiences of people with musculoskeletal conditions, using data from a national survey of people with chronic musculoskeletal diseases in New Zealand.

Of the 85 responses used in the analysis, a number of recurrent issues were experienced including:
• Difficulty finding appropriate footwear;
• Dissatisfaction with therapeutic footwear provision;
• Lack of access to foot care;
• High cost of specialised footwear, foot care and self-care;
• Low levels of satisfaction with foot care.

“Key categories describing the important issues surrounding the footwear experiences of respondents with chronic musculoskeletal diseases were identified, which may provide important targets for improving footwear and foot care services and self-management strategies,” the research group says.

A spokeswoman for Arthritis Research UK comments:

“These findings resonate very strongly with our own research, which found that in people with rheumatoid arthritis in particular, healthcare professionals routinely fail to understand the needs of patients, resulting in shoes being made that people will not wear, which could lead to further deterioration and greater health problems.

“There should be a systemic overhaul and improved training of podiatrists, orthotists and primary care specialists to ensure the effective provision of appropriately-designed footwear to meet the needs of people with arthritis.”

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