Background Plantar heel pain is one of the most common musculoskeletal conditions affecting the foot and it is commonly experienced by older adults. Contoured foot orthoses and some heel inserts have been found to be effective for plantar heel pain, however the mechanism by which they achieve their effects is largely unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of foot orthoses...

Background The gastrocnemius-soleus (G-S) muscle complex, the most dominant extrinsic plantar flexor, plays an important role in the normal weight-bearing function of the foot. The stability and stance-phase placement of the foot can be adversely affected when muscular loads/support are abnormal (e.g. equinus contracture) [1]. This study aims to formulate a three-dimensional musculoskeletal fin...

BACKGROUND There are few studies investigating the characteristics, risk factors and socioeconomic status of patients with non-diabetic foot ulcers. The aim of this study was to explore the characteristics of non-diabetic foot ulcers in a large tertiary referral outpatient hospital setting in Western Sydney, Australia. METHODS From 2011 to 2013, data from 202 patients with non-diabetic foot u...

Background Symptomatic (flexible) pes planus is a difficult entity to classify with no universally accepted aetiology. Foot orthoses are a commonly used intervention for pes planus, however, evidence to support their use is limited. Currently there are no clinical guidelines for the prescription of foot orthoses for pes planus. The aim of this study was to seek expert consensus and agreement on...

................................................................................................... viii 1 Background ......................................................................................... 1 1.1 Overview of Diabetes Mellitus ........................................................... 1 1.2 Foot Ulcers & Diabetic Neuropathy ........................................................

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Increased foot skin temperature has been described as a feature of diabetic neuropathy. The aim of this present study was to investigate the association between foot temperature and sudomotor dysfunction in type 2 diabetes mellitus. PATIENTS AND METHODS This study included 51 patients (group A: 25 men, mean age 61.14 +/- 6.11 years) without sudomotor dysfunction and 52 pat...

Background Foot ulcers are a common reason for diabetes-related hospitalisation. Foot ulcer simulation training (FUST) programs have increased podiatry participants self-confidence to manage foot ulcers. However, supervisors’ perspectives on their participants attending these simulation programs have not been investigated. This mixed method (quantitative and qualitative) study aimed to investig...

Background Australian subacute rehabilitation facilities face significant challenges from the ageing population with increased burden of chronic disease. High risk foot complications are a negative consequence of many chronic diseases. With the rapid expansion of subacute services, it seems imperative to investigate the prevalence of foot complications in this population. The primary aim of thi...

Background Knee malalignment and variations in foot posture and function affect the forces transmitted through the knee joint and are associated with knee pain and medial tibiofemoral cartilage damage [1]. However, it is unclear whether altered foot posture and function are a compensatory mechanism to accommodate knee malalignment. Therefore, this study investigated changes in foot posture and ...

Background To avoid abnormal foot local loading while maintaining a physiological foot biomechanics does represent a challenge in the management of Diabetic foot and a valuable instrument to counter the onset of the ulceration process. The authors hypothesized that silicone socks may help in keeping dynamic peak pressures below risky values. The study describes the methodology the authors used ...