Annals of family medicine
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Annals of family medicine · Sep 2014
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative StudyTreatment of forefoot problems in older people: a randomized clinical trial comparing podiatric treatment with standardized shoe advice.
Consultations for forefoot pain are frequent in primary care, but scientific support of treatment options is scarce. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of podiatric treatment vs standardized advice on proper shoe characteristics and fit of shoes by means of an information leaflet for people aged 50 years and older with forefoot pain in primary care. ⋯ This study found that shoe advice provided to patients consulting their general practitioner for forefoot pain and symptom relief resulted in outcomes similar to treatment outcomes in patients consulting a podiatrist. Based on these results, primary care physicians should be cautious when referring a patient to a podiatrist; instead, they should start by providing advice on proper characteristics and fit of shoes.