Social Isolation and Limb Preservation: The Case for the Podiatric Connection Model (PCM)

Loneliness and social isolation are increasingly recognized as major determinants of health, with physiologic and behavioral effects that rival traditional biomedical risk factors. Populations commonly treated in podiatric practice, including older adults, patients with diabetes, rural residents, and veterans, are disproportionately affected by social isolation, yet its impact on foot and ankle outcomes remains underrecognized. Emerging evidence demonstrates that loneliness alters immune regulation, inflammatory signaling, pain perception, adherence behaviors, and healthcare utilization, all of which directly influence wound healing, postoperative recovery, and limb preservation. This paper introduces the Podiatric Connection Model (PCM), a clinically actionable framework designed to integrate social connection into podiatric care. The PCM provides a structured approach for identifying social risk factors, strengthening therapeutic relationships, engaging caregivers, tailoring follow-up intensity, and monitoring evolving psychosocial needs throughout the course of treatment. By reframing loneliness as a modifiable comorbidity rather than a background social issue, the PCM offers a practical strategy for improving adherence, reducing complications, and strengthening healing trajectories in high-risk foot and ankle populations.