Management and Assessment of Foot Osteoarthritis
Summary
Foot osteoarthritis is a degenerative disorder affecting multiple articulations of the foot and ankle, notably the first metatarsophalangeal joint, midfoot complex and talocrural joint. It presents with pain, stiffness, reduced range of motion and structural changes including osteophyte formation and joint space narrowing. Comprehensive assessment integrates clinical history, physical examination, imaging modalities (plain radiography, ultrasound and advanced modalities when indicated) and validated patient-reported outcome measures to characterise disease severity and phenotypic subgroups. Management encompasses a spectrum from conservative to surgical interventions. Non-pharmacological measures—such as tailored exercise programmes, gait retraining, muscle strengthening and custom or off-the-shelf orthoses—aim to optimise biomechanics and reduce symptom burden. Pharmacological therapies include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, intra-articular injections of corticosteroids or hyaluronic acid and emerging biological treatments. Surgical options, reserved for refractory or end-stage disease, range from arthroscopic debridement to joint fusion. An interdisciplinary approach with regular reassessment is essential to guide individualised care and improve functional outcomes.
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Management and Assessment of Foot Osteoarthritis publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in management and assessment of foot osteoarthritis across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Osteophyte: Bony outgrowth at joint margins indicative of degenerative change.
Joint space narrowing (JSN): Reduction in the radiographic distance between opposing joint surfaces reflecting cartilage loss.
Isometric muscle strength: Force generated by a muscle while the joint angle remains constant, typically measured via hand-held dynamometry.
First metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint: Articulation between the first metatarsal head and proximal phalanx of the big toe, a common site of osteoarthritis.
Phenotype: Distinct pattern of joint involvement and clinical features used to classify subclasses of osteoarthritis.
References
- The clinical assessment study of the foot (CASF): study protocol for a prospective observational study of foot pain and foot osteoarthritis in the general population. Journal of Foot and Ankle Research (2011).
- Investigations of Potential Phenotypes of Foot Osteoarthritis: Cross‐Sectional Analysis From the Clinical Assessment Study of the Foot. Arthritis Care & Research (2016).
- Foot and Leg Muscle Weakness in People With Midfoot Osteoarthritis. Arthritis Care & Research (2021).
- Conservative Treatment of Ankle Osteoarthritis. Journal of Clinical Medicine (2021).
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