High prevalence of foot problems in the Danish population: a survey of causes and associations.

OBJECTIVE To determine the prevalence and severity of foot pain and deformity and the associated risk of leg and low back pain. METHOD A cross-sectional postal survey was conducted among a randomly selected sample of 2100 adult Danish inhabitants (18-80 years of age). Participants reported 1-month period prevalences of foot, lower leg, knee, hip and back pain. RESULTS Responder rate was 79.6%. Prevalence of foot pain was 30.4% with a total of 55.9% reporting pain in the foot, leg or back lasting more than 1 day within the previous month. Foot pain lasting more than 1 month was experienced by 16.2% and 11.9% had pain lasting more than 1 year. The prevalence of self-reported pes planus or pes cavus was 17.9%. There was a significant association between foot pain and pain elsewhere in the leg and low back. Self-reported foot deformity was significantly associated with foot pain. Women had a significantly higher prevalence of foot pain and Body Mass Index was associated with foot pain in women but not in men. CONCLUSIONS Foot pain is highly prevalent and associated with foot deformity and leg and low back pain. More attention should be focused on foot pain and foot deformity. It is suggested that clinical examination of leg and low back pain should include foot examination.

[1]  L. Arendt-Nielsen,et al.  Osteoarthritis and its association with mechanical hyperalgesia , 2008 .

[2]  R. Fitzpatrick,et al.  The prevalence of foot problems in older women: a cause for concern. , 2002, Journal of public health medicine.

[3]  M. Reinking,et al.  Exercise-Related Leg Pain in Female Collegiate Athletes , 2006, The American journal of sports medicine.

[4]  D. De Clercq,et al.  Relationship between gait biomechanics and inversion sprains: a prospective study of risk factors. , 2005, Gait & posture.

[5]  L. Turelli,et al.  Definition and classification of metatarsalgia , 2003 .

[6]  Blair H. Smith,et al.  The epidemiology of chronic pain in the community , 1999, The Lancet.

[7]  Gunilla Brattberg,et al.  The prevalence of pain in a general population. The results of a postal survey in a county of Sweden , 1989, Pain.

[8]  Michelle Urwin,et al.  Estimating the burden of musculoskeletal disorders in the community: the comparative prevalence of symptoms at different anatomical sites, and the relation to social deprivation , 1998, Annals of the rheumatic diseases.

[9]  G. Spahn,et al.  Die Prävalenz von Beschwerden und Deformierungen des Fußes bei Adoleszenten , 2004 .

[10]  H. Yatsuya,et al.  [Association of flatfoot with pain, fatigue and obesity in Japanese over sixties]. , 2003, Nihon Koshu Eisei Zasshi (Japanese Journal of Public Health).

[11]  D. Felson,et al.  The incidence and natural history of knee osteoarthritis in the elderly. The Framingham Osteoarthritis Study. , 1995, Arthritis and rheumatism.

[12]  K. Kaufman,et al.  The Effect of Foot Structure and Range of Motion on Musculoskeletal Overuse Injuries , 1999, The American journal of sports medicine.

[13]  L. Greenberg,et al.  Foot problems in the US. The 1990 National Health Interview Survey. , 1993, Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association.

[14]  H. C. D. de Vet,et al.  Prevalence of Musculoskeletal Disorders Is Systematically Higher in Women Than in Men , 2006, The Clinical journal of pain.

[15]  B. Koes,et al.  What is the clinical course of acute ankle sprains? A systematic literature review. , 2008, The American journal of medicine.

[16]  J. Mckinlay,et al.  Foot Musculoskeletal Disorders, Pain, and Foot‐Related Functional Limitation in Older Persons , 2005, Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

[17]  S. Dhaliwal,et al.  Prevalence of lower extremity pain and its association with functionality and quality of life in elderly women in Australia. , 2003, The Journal of rheumatology.

[18]  A. Tennant,et al.  Impact of multiple joint problems on daily living tasks in people in the community over age fifty-five. , 2006, Arthritis & Rheumatism.

[19]  J. Tol,et al.  Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome , 2009, Sports medicine.

[20]  G Molenberghs,et al.  High prevalence of foot diseases in Europe: results of the Achilles Project , 2003, Mycoses.

[21]  R. Fillingim,et al.  Sex, gender, and pain: a review of recent clinical and experimental findings. , 2009, The journal of pain : official journal of the American Pain Society.

[22]  B. Yates,et al.  The Incidence and Risk Factors in the Development of Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome among Naval Recruits , 2004, The American journal of sports medicine.

[23]  J. Kelsey,et al.  Epidemiology of musculoskeletal impairments and associated disability. , 1984, American journal of public health.

[24]  Henning Langberg,et al.  Determination of normal values for navicular drop during walking: a new model correcting for foot length and gender , 2009, Journal of foot and ankle research.

[25]  H. Klinger,et al.  [The prevalence of pain and deformities in the feet of adolescents. Results of a cross-sectional study]. , 2004, Zeitschrift fur Orthopadie und ihre Grenzgebiete.

[26]  C. Prodromos,et al.  A meta-analysis of the incidence of anterior cruciate ligament tears as a function of gender, sport, and a knee injury-reduction regimen. , 2007, Arthroscopy : the journal of arthroscopic & related surgery : official publication of the Arthroscopy Association of North America and the International Arthroscopy Association.

[27]  A. Tennant,et al.  Changing profile of joint disorders with age: findings from a postal survey of the population of Calderdale, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom. , 1992, Annals of the rheumatic diseases.

[28]  L. Ferrucci,et al.  Foot Pain and Disability in Older Persons: An Epidemiologic Survey , 1995, Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

[29]  M S Rathleff,et al.  Video based analysis of dynamic midfoot function and its relationship with Foot Posture Index scores. , 2010, Gait & posture.

[30]  L. Arendt-Nielsen,et al.  Osteoarthritis and its association with muscle hyperalgesia: an experimental controlled study , 2001, Pain.

[31]  A. Silman,et al.  The Cheshire Foot Pain and Disability Survey: a population survey assessing prevalence and associations , 2004, Pain.