Hallux Valgus (HV) is a highly prevalent forefoot deformity in older people associated with progressive subluxation and osteoarthritis of the first metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint and it is believed to be associated with varying degrees of HV effect on the quality of life related to foot health. The aim of this study is to compare the impact of varying degrees of HV on foot health in a sample of older people. The sample consisted of 115 participants, mean age 76.7 ± 9.1, who attended an outpatient center where self-report data were recorded. The degree of HV deformity was determined in both feet using the Manchester Scale (MS) from stage 1 (mild) to 4 (very severe). Scores obtained on the Foot Health Status Questionnaire (FHSQ) were compared. This has 13 questions that assess 4 health domains of the feet, namely pain, function, general health and footwear. The stage 4 of HV shown lower scores for the footwear domain (11.23 ± 15.6); general foot health (27.62 ± 19.1); foot pain (44.65 ± 24.5); foot function (53.04 ± 27.2); vigour (42.19 ± 16.8); social capacity (44.46 ± 28.1); and general health (41.15 ± 25.5) compared with stage 1 of HV (P<0.05) and there were no differences of physical activity (62.81 ± 24.6). Often, quality of life decreases in the elderly population based in large part on their foot health. There is a progressive reduction in health in general and foot health with increasing severity of hallux valgus deformity which appears to be associated with the presence of greater degree of HV, regardless of gender.

Objective Foot problems (FP) may be considered to be a prevalent conditions in people but there is limited evidence of their effect on the quality of life (QoL) related to foot health in men and women. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of FPs on both overall foot health and QoL, stratified by gender. Design A cross sectional study. Setting Clinic of Podiatric Medicine and Surgery at University of A Coruña in the city of Ferrol (Spain). Subjects The sample consisted of 1647 participants with FP; the total population of the sample had a mean age of 43.24±19.89 years, with mean ages 44.09±21.36 years and 42.94±19.34 years for men and women, respectively. Methods Measurement of sociodemographic characteristics include age, sex and body mass index. The Foot Health Status Questionnaire (FHSQ) was used to evaluate the general health and foot health. Differences between groups were evaluated by means of a t-test for independent samples. Results Women with FP showed significantly lower scores in the domains of Foot Pain, Foot Function, Footwear, General Foot Health, Physical Activity and Vigour, and there was no difference compared with men in the domains of Overall Health and Social Capacity. Conclusions Women with FP present a negative impact on QoL related to foot health as compared with men except in the domains of Overall Health and Social Capacity, which appears to be associated with the presence of foot conditions.

The purpose of this study was to quantify the cross-sectional area (CSA) of the peroneus brevis, the peroneus longus, and connective tissue; to compare these measures in participants with and without lateral ankle sprains (LAS); and to determine the intraexaminer reliability of the protocol used to acquire these measures. A cross-sectional case-control study was undertaken. B-mode ultrasound imaging was performed to measure the resting CSA and circular perimeter of the muscles and connective tissue and the total area and ratio between the CSA of the peroneus longus and the peroneus brevis. The imaging was performed for 56 feet, 28 with LAS and 28 without LAS (the mean numbers ± SD of total LAS, grade-I LAS and grade-II LAS were 4.1 ± 3.6, 2.71 ± 3.2, and 1.39 ± 0.9, respectively). A univariate correlation analysis using Pearson (r) and the Kendall tau_b (τ_B) coefficients was performed to evaluate the ultrasound imaging measurements (α = 0.05). Statistically significant differences (P < .05) were observed between the 2 groups, with a moderate negative correlation for the circular perimeter of the peroneus longus (P = .001; r = -0.444) and a weak association for the CSA of the peroneus longus (P = .002; τ_B = - 0.349), the ratio between the CSA of the peroneus longus and the peroneus brevis (P = .008; τ_B = -0.293), and the circular perimeter of connective tissue (P = .013; τ_B = -0.277). The peroneus longus CSA is reduced in participants with LAS compared with that in participants without LAS. The intraexaminer reliability of the ultrasonography protocol was excellent when quantifying the peroneus brevis and the peroneus longus muscle tissues and acceptable when quantifying connective tissue.

Background and Purpose: Shoulder pain is a prevalent condition in older adults. Some authors associate nonspecific shoulder pain with myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) in the infraspinatus muscle. Dry needling is recommended to relieve the MTrP pain of shoulders in the short term (<9 days). Active MTrPs dry needling improves shoulder pain and the irritability of the satellite MTrPs in the referred pain area. Nociceptive activity at a latent MTrP may influence motor activity and the sensitivity of MTrPs in distant muscles at a similar segmental level. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate dry needling on 1 latent MTrP, in conjunction with 1 active MTrP, in the infraspinatus muscle of older adults with nonspecific shoulder pain. Methods: A single-center, randomized, single-blinded, controlled study (NCT02032602) was carried out. Sixty-six patients aged 65 years and older with trigger points in the ipsilateral infraspinatus of the painful shoulder were randomly assigned to (1) of (2) treatment groups. A session of dry needling on the infraspinatus was performed in (1) the most hyperalgesic active and latent MTrP or (2) only the most hyperalgesic active MTrP. The Numeric Rating Scale, the pressure pain threshold (primary outcome) on the anterior deltoid and extensor carpi radialis brevis latent MTrPs, and grip strength were assessed before, after, and 1 week after the intervention. Results: Statistically significant differences in the reduction of pain intensity (P ≤ .001; η² = 0.159-0.269; d = 1.017-1.219) and the increase of pressure pain threshold (P < .001; η² = 0.206-0.481; d = 0.870-1.924) were found for the (1) treatment group immediately and 1 week postintervention. Nevertheless, no statistical significant differences were found in grip strength (P >. 05; η² = 0.006-0.033; d = 0.158-0.368). Conclusions: One dry needling intervention of the latent MTrP associated with the key active MTrP of the infraspinatus reduces pain intensity and the irritability of the satellite MTrPs located in the referred pain area in the short term in older adults with nonspecific shoulder pain.