“The orthoses are transferable, can be accommodated in most types of footwear and are hidden from view, which may have facilitated them being worn more frequently,” write the authors in their discussion. They add, “It’s possible that rock-sole shoes have the potential for greater effectiveness if barriers to adherence could be overcome.”
The authors conclude their research by calling for controlled studies that focus on the effectiveness of foot orthoses and footwear interventions. Such studies can work to better identify patients who will benefit from the treatments and address barriers to adherence for rock-sole footwear.
Menz HB, Auhl M, Tan JM, et al. Effectiveness of foot orthoses vs. rocker-sole footwear for first metatarsophalangeal joint osteoarthritis: Randomized trial. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2016 May;68(5):581–589. doi: 10.1002/acr.22750. [Epub ahead of print]
