The short-term effect of custom-made foot orthoses in subjects with excessive foot pronation and lower back pain: A randomized, double-blinded, clinical trial

摘要

Study design: randomized, double-blinded, clinical trial. Background: Low back pain is one of the commonest disorders affecting the back. The literature reflects how over time excessive pronation of the foot has-become to be recognized as linked to chronic low back pain, and how the problem can evolve for the better with the use of compensating foot orthoses. Objectives: The main objective of this study is to answer the question of whether the use of a certain type of custom-made foot orthosis alleviates low back pain. Material and methods: In a sample of 51 participants with excessive subtalar pronation and chronic low back pain (43 women and 8 men), the effect of custom-made foot orthoses in low back pain was studied.The study design was a randomized, double-blinded, clinical trial with two groups: experimental, treated with the custom-made foot orthoses, and control, treated with a placebo. Low back pain was evaluated by a visual analog scale for pain and Oswestry's Disability Index Questionnaire for lower back pain at two moments-on the day of inclusion in the study and after 4 weeks of treatment. Results: The evolution of the low back pain showed significant differences in the experimental group, showing a significant reduction of pain and disability (p < 0.001, visual analog scale; p < 0.001, Oswestry's Index). Conclusions: In the sample studied, the use of custom-made foot orthoses to control foot pronation had a short-term effect in reduction of perceived low back pain.