Background: Aging is associated with reduced postural stability and increased fall risk. Foot orthoses have been reported as an adjuvant intervention to improve balance by stimulating foot plantar mechanical receptors and thus increasing somatosensory input. Purpose: The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of flat and textured insoles on the balance of primary care elderly people. Design: Prospective, parallel, randomized, and single-blind trial. Methods: A total of 100 subjects from a primary care unit, aged ≥65 years, were randomly assigned to intervention groups with flat insoles (n=33), textured insoles (n=33), or control group (n=34) without insoles. The Berg Balance Scale and the Timed Up and Go test were assessed at baseline and after 4 weeks. Results: Improvements in the Berg Balance Scale and the Timed Up and Go test were noted only in intervention groups with insoles but not in control group. No significant difference was found between flat and textured insoles. Minor adverse effects were noted only in the group with textured insoles. Conclusion: The results suggest that foot orthoses (both flat and textured insoles) are effective in improving balance in primary care elderly people. They may represent a low-cost and high-availability adjuvant strategy to improve balance and prevent falls in this population.

Depression and anxiety are among the most prevalent mental health conditions in Brazil. Both are associated with poor quality of life (HRQoL) and challenges in disease management for chronic illnesses, including Behçet's disease (BD). This study aimed to evaluate depression, anxiety, and HRQoL in BD patients from a non-endemic area. This case-control study included adult BD patients from Brazilian tertiary center and healthy controls (HC). All patients fulfilled the ISG and ICBD diagnostic criteria. Depression, anxiety and quality of life were assessed using BDI, HADS, SF-36, and physical capacity with the HAQ. We enrolled 58 BD patients (60% female, median age 48.5) and 96 HC (74% female, median age 40.5). High rates of depression and anxiety were observed in BD patients, correlating with disease activity, younger age, absence of a partner, shorter disease duration, and lower income. BD patients showed significant HRQoL restrictions, particularly in physical and emotional roles, compared to HC. Longer disease duration correlated with better HRQoL. High rates of depression and anxiety were observed in BD patients, negatively impacting HRQoL, particularly in those with higher disease activity. Further study and clinical attention are warranted to enhance patient care and outcomes.

Objectives: To assess foot function in SSc and its association with socio-demographic and clinical factors. To evaluate mobility, foot alterations, foot pain, and foot care in these patients. Methods: Consecutive SSc patients underwent structured interviews and physical examinations. Disability was assessed using the HAQ disability index (HAQ-DI) and the Scleroderma HAQ (SHAQ). Foot function was measured using the Foot Function Index (FFI), foot pain using a numeric pain scale (NPS), and mobility using the Timed-Up-and-Go test (TUG). Results: A total of 101 patients were included. Forefoot pain was observed in 50.5%, hindfoot pain in 31.7%, foot ulcers in 6.9%, foot plantar callosities in 38.6%, foot arthritis in 2.97%, hallux valgus in 9.9%, claw toes in 5%, and valgus ankle in 3% of patients. The mean FFI was 3.54 (±2.6), the mean NPS was 6.08 (±3.58), and the mean TUG test result was 10.52 (±6.5) seconds. Higher FFI scores, increased NPS, and prolonged TUG were associated with RP severity, SHAQ and HAQ-DI. Of the 101 patients, 36.6% of patients reported never having had their feet examined, and only 32.7% had had their feet examined within the past year. Conclusion: Foot dysfunction and pain are common in SSc. Higher FFI scores, increased pain, and prolonged TUG duration were linked to disability (HAQ-DI and SHAQ). These analyses should be considered exploratory and require confirmation in external cohorts. Routine foot examinations were lacking in clinical practice. Improved attention for evaluating and caring for the feet in SSc patients is needed.