Foot Pain in Gout May Require a Nonclinical Solution

Gout patients in New Zealand may be fundamentally different from those in your practice, but it's also quite possible that some of your patients may experience the same risk factor.

Using pre-determined criteria, a team at Auckland University decided to assess the condition of footwear among gout patients being treated for foot pain at a rheumatology clinic there. The results are cautionary.

Over half of shoes were more than a year old and showed excessive wear patterns. Other problems were common, including poor cushioning and lack of support, stability, and motion control. These inadequacies correlated with foot-related impairment and disability.

The study has been released online in advance of publication in Arthritis Care & Research.

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