Current and future advances in practice: mechanical foot pain

Mechanical foot pain affects ∽20% of the UK population >50 years of age, with ∼10% reporting disabling pain that impacts daily activities. For most people, foot pain improves over time, but for some this can become chronic and disabling, affecting physical activity, participation, mental health and work capacity. Mechanical foot pain can present as localized pain, but more often the pain presents in multiple structures. Traditional treatments for mechanical foot pain are largely based on self-management that includes pain control, reassurance of healing trajectory, and activity or footwear modifications. Randomized controlled trials support the short-term use of exercise and foot orthoses for some foot conditions; however, accessibility can be limited by regional variations in procurement compounded by a lack of long-term trials. The roles of weight loss and strengthening of the foot and leg muscles offer new avenues to explore.