Impacts of foot orthoses on pain and disability in rheumatoid arthritics.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) frequently causes foot pain and swelling that affect ambulation. Pharmaceutical management of pain and disability is standard in clinical practice. The use of functional posted foot orthoses, as an adjunct to pharmaceutical treatment, is a promising treatment for managing foot pain and disability in RA. Its effectiveness, however, has not been rigorously evaluated. We performed a double-blind clinical trial using foot orthoses vs. placebo orthoses in the management of the rheumatoid arthritic foot, while subjects continued customary treatment. On the basis of findings of no effect on disability and pain measures, this study indicates no benefit of functional posted foot orthoses over placebos.