Biomechanical foot orthotics: a retrospective study

Foot orthotics are becoming recognized as an important consideration in the correction of lower extremity alignment and mechanical dysfunctions. There are many different foot orthotics on the market today claiming to relieve pain and enhance foot function. Unfortunately, minimal research has been conducted investigating the effectiveness of foot orthotics in adult patient populations. The purpose of this study was to determine the degree of pain relief experienced by patients, the ability of patients to return to their previous levels of activity associated with the duration of use of the orthotics, and patient compliance. This study also discusses the specific deformity for which the orthotic was prescribed and the degree of posting necessary to compensate for the deformity. Fifty-three subjects, 20 males and 33 females, responded to a questionnaire survey. The type of foot deformity and the orthotic prescription are also presented for each subject. The responses to the questions were correlated with an individual patient chart review. In addition, chi-square analysis was used to determine the level of significance between the specific deformity and the age and weight of the patients. The level of significance was determined between the patient's ability to adjust to the orthotics and their continued use of the orthotics. Finally, the significance of the orthotic treatment was compared to four other treatment interventions. Ninety-six percent of the patients reported relief from pain with the use of the prescribed foot orthotic. Ninety-four percent of the patients were still wearing the orthotic, and 52% reported that they would not leave home without them in their shoes at the time the survey was conducted. Seventy percent of the patients reported that they were able to return to their previous level of activity with the use of the foot orthotics.J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 1988;10(6):205-212.