Custom-Made Foot Orthoses as Non-Specific Chronic Low Back Pain and Pronated Foot Treatment

• Published in: International journal of environmental research and public health Vol. 18; no. 13; p. 6816
• Main Authors: Castro-Méndez, Aurora, Palomo-Toucedo, Inmaculada Concepción, Pabón-Carrasco, Manuel, Ramos-Ortega, Javier, Díaz-Mancha, Juan Antonio, Fernández-Seguín, Lourdes María
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 25.06.2021; MDPI
• Subjects: Back pain; Biomechanics; Body mass index; Chronic Pain; Foot; Foot Orthoses; Humans; Hypotheses; Low Back Pain - therapy; Pain Measurement; Pathology; Posture; Pronation; Sample size; Statistical analysis; Womens health; custom-made foot orthoses; pronation; low back pain; posture; foot
• ISSN: 1660-4601; 1661-7827; 1660-4601
• DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18136816

Excessive foot pronation has been reported as being related to chronic low back pain symptoms and risk factors in sports-specific pathologies. Compensating custom-made foot orthotics treatment has not been entirely explored as an effective therapy for chronic low back pain (CLBP). This study aims to observe the effects of custom-made foot orthoses, in subjects with foot pronation suffering from CLBP. A total of 101 patients with nonspecific CLBP and a pronated foot posture index (FPI) were studied. They were randomized in two groups: an experimental one (n = 53) used custom-made foot orthotics, and the control group (n = 48) were treated with non-biomechanical effect orthoses. The CLBP was measured using the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) Questionnaire and a visual analogue scale (VAS), both for lower back pain. The symptoms were evaluated twice, at first when the subject was included in the study, and later, after 4 weeks of treatment. The analysis of outcomes showed a significant decrease in CLBP in the custom-made foot orthoses participants group (p < 0.001 ODI; p < 0.001 VAS). These findings suggest that controlling excessive foot pronation by using custom-made foot orthoses may significantly contribute to improving CLBP.