Potential Relationships among Foot Orthoses Use, Physical Activity, and Functional Level: Foot Orthoses Prescription and Application for the Obese

摘要

Individuals with obesity have reduced activity levels and increased incidence of knee arthritis and pes planus. Foot orthoses can affect lower-limb alignment to reduce pain in nonobese individuals. Evidence to support using foot orthoses for obese people, although often recommended, remains lacking. This pilot study determined the feasibility of prescribing foot orthoses for obese people; effect sizes for calculation of future sample sizes; and relationships among foot orthoses use, physical activity, and functional level. This repeated-measures study included nine people with obesity (body mass index [BMI] > 30 kg/m2) prescribed with semicustom foot orthoses using arch classifications derived from arch index values. Self-reported data collected at baseline and 1 year were used to determine relationships among foot orthoses use, physical activity, and functional levels. Eight of nine subjects adhered to the foot orthoses prescription. Rate of foot orthoses use and physical activity level as self-reported on the Physical Activity Level (PAL) scale significantly increased, whereas functional level did not. Effect sizes ranged from large for PAL to small for the Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS). Changes in ability to walk a mile were strongly associated with changes in rate of foot orthoses use and reductions in BMI. Larger studies to determine the effect of physical activity and foot orthoses use in obese people are warranted.