Objectives: Foot and ankle impairments are major issues in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Foot deformities often lead to skin disorders, such as callosities, ingrown toenails, and interdigital tinea pedis. This study was aimed at investigating the efficacy and limitations of foot care by experts in patients with RA.
Methods: Thirty-one patients with RA who began receiving foot care from nurses at our institution between September 2020 and February 2023 were included. Responses to a survey using the self-administered foot evaluation questionnaire (SAFE-Q) for patient-reported outcome measures were compared at baseline, the second visit (1.3 ± 0.5 months after baseline), and the third visit (3.6 ± 1.6 months after baseline).
Results: Scores for 'Pain and pain-related' and 'General health and well-being' components of SAFE-Q markedly improved after foot care. On the other hand, there were no significant differences in the scores for 'Physical functioning and daily living', 'Social functioning', and 'Shoe-related' components during observation periods.
Conclusions: Foot care for rheumatoid feet is effective in providing pain relief and improving general health and well-being. However, physical and social functioning and footwear issues did not improve. Clinicians must understand the effects and limitations of foot care in patients with RA.
Keywords: Ankle; efficacy; foot; limitation; rheumatoid arthritis.
© Japan College of Rheumatology 2024. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact [email protected] for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site–for further information please contact [email protected].