Psychological factors associated with pain and function in adults with hallux valgus

Psychological factors are linked to pain and function in various musculoskeletal conditions, but their impact on hallux valgus is unclear. Health-related quality of life declines with increasing severity of hallux valgus, affecting not only foot pain and physical function, but also general health, vitality and mental health. Previous studies have reported inconsistent associations between psychological factors, such as anxiety and depression, and surgical outcomes, which might relate to variability in measurement approaches. Understanding the associations between psychological factors, including anxiety, depression, pain catastrophizing and kinesiophobia, and hallux valgus-related pain and function may inform more holistic pre-operative care. Therefore, we aimed to assess these associations in adults with hallux valgus pre-surgery.

A pre-operative cross-sectional study was conducted with 41 adults scheduled for hallux valgus surgery. Participants completed questionnaires measuring continuous psychological variables: depression, anxiety and stress (Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21, a tool for general psychological distress), kinesiophobia (Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia, which assesses fear of movement associated with pain) and pain catastrophizing (Pain Catastrophizing Scale, a tool used to evaluate maladaptive pain-coping strategies). Continuous outcomes were evaluated using the Manchester-Oxford Foot Questionnaire for foot function, pain and social interaction. Multiple linear regressions explored the associations between these psychological factors and the outcomes.

When all exposure variables were considered simultaneously, pain catastrophizing emerged as a significant predictor of foot pain and foot function. A one-unit increase in the pain catastrophizing score was associated with a 1.41-point increase in foot pain (β = 1.41, 95% confidence intervals (CIs) 0.73-2.09 and p < 0.001) and a 1.83-point increase in worse foot function (β = 1.83, 95% CI 1.12-2.54 and p < 0.001).

Assessing pain catastrophising pre-operatively is recommended for individuals with hallux valgus, although more structured education may be needed to support health professionals in assessing psychological factors. Future research should evaluate the longitudinal impact of pain catastrophizing on post-operative outcomes and explore other contributing factors, such as comorbidities, lifestyle variables and sex differences, to refine screening and treatment strategies.