Impact of Chronic Foot Pain Related Quality of Life: A Retrospective Case-Control Study

Abstract

Background: Chronic foot pain (CFP) is a widespread condition worldwide; however, few studies that relate CFP and foot health-related quality of life have been reported.

Objective: The aim of this study was to describe the impact of foot health and health in general in a sample of adult people with CFP compared with a control group.

Study design: This study was designed as a retrospective case-control study.

Setting: Podiatric section of a care center.

Methods: Two hundred adults were included in the study. Patients were divided into CFP patient (n = 100) and control groups (n = 100). All of them regularly attended a private podiatric clinic to take care of their foot health. Self-reported data and medical histories for people with and without CFP were evaluated. All findings were compared with quality of life (QoL) scores based on the Foot Health Status Questionnaire, Spanish version.

Results: Adults with CFP (compared to the control group) showed reductions in QoL linked to overall health and foot health in particular and were statistically significant with respect to several domains: (1) foot pain, (2) foot function, (3) general health, and (4) physical activity. These differ-ences were evaluated with a t-test for independent samples, and statistical significance was consid-ered a P value of P < 0.05.

Limitations: The study was not a randomized controlled trial. Although primary outcome data were self-reported, the assessor was not blinded.

Conclusions: CFP patients, regardless of gender, recorded a negative influence on QoL-related foot health that seems to be linked with the presence of this chronic condition.