Foot osteoarthritis (OA) is a very common disease that mainly affects older people deeply influencing their quality of life. The joint most frequently involved in the articular degenerative process is the first metatarsophalangeal joint. Its severe impairment may lead to a specific clinical pattern known as hallux rigidus that often requires surgical treatment. Currently conventional radiograms of feet associated with an accurate clinical examination should be performed in order to diagnose foot OA. However, new imaging modalities as ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging are emerging as valuable tools to assess foot OA. Therapeutic options for foot OA consist of conservative strategies, including life-style modification and pharmacological treatment, options that are usually adopted in early-stage disease and in invasive surgical procedures reserved to late-stage conditions. At the present time there is a lack of evidence in international literature specifically dealing with foot OA, so further investigation on this topic is required to clarify its pathogenesis, the diagnostic pathway and the best clinical management.Keywords: osteoarthritis, foot, ultrasound Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative disorder that results from the biochemical breakdown of articular cartilage in the synovial joints and is the commonest cause of arthritis and a leading cause of pain and disability worldwide [1].Biomechanical and biochemical factors, such as the production of several chemokines, cytokines, and growth factors, determine an aberrant chondrocyte activation that contributes to the disruption of articular homeostasis. The imbalance between pro-and anti-inflammatory molecules may influence the progression of cartilage damage [2].OA accounts for 15% of all musculoskeletal consultations in patients aged 45 years and over in primary care [3]. This degenerative articular disease predominantly affects the knees, hips, hands and feet. Whereas the knee, the hip and the hand have received considerable attention, the foot has been relatively neglected yet the first metatarsophalangeal joint is one of the joints most frequently affected by OA [4].The aim of this review is to provide an overview of the current knowledge on foot OA, concerning risk factors, clinical features, diagnosis and treatment.
Epidemiology and pathomechanismOA is the leading cause of chronic pain and disability among older people in developed countries. A podiatric supplement to the US National Health Interview Survey estimated that 24% of the population has at least one foot ailment, with older adults experiencing more troubles than younger adults [5]. Recent prevalence data from the Framingham Study reported that 19% of men and 29%