Influence of foot pain on frailty symptoms in an elderly population: a case-control study

Abstract

Aging and chronic illness processes like hyperglycemic disease, musculoskeletal disorders and heart processes can produce frailty syndrome. Consequently, these degenerative processes produce alterations that can affect mental and general health. 1 For example, aging and frailty can affect gait speed and increase the risk of falling due to balance alterations. [2][3][4] Furthermore, the presence of frailty symptoms affects health-related quality of life (HQoL) 5 in this population group.Frailty syndrome can be defined as a group of health alterations that can affect several aspects of the aging process. These alterations are a consequence of a dynamic process that has psychological, biological and social characteristics and which reduces health status. 6 The frequency of frail states among people older than 65 years has been estimated to be between 4% and 59.1%. 7 Among foot conditions in the elderly population, foot disorders and diseases are present most frequently in the frail population group, comprising approximately 25% of foot disorders. 8,9 Consultations with general practitioners relating to ankle and foot conditions involving osteoarticular pain account for 8% of all consultations. 10 Accordingly, distress caused by pain may raise this percentage. Elderly people have characteristic foot complaints that can be likened to bigger disorders. 11 Foot health forms part of health-related quality of life (HQoL) 12 and poor foot health gives rise to a risk of falls. 13,14 Clinimetric health questionnaires for measuring the degree of frailty degree are necessary in order to correlate foot disabilities and the level of frailty.The 5-Frailty scale is a questionnaire of five items that was set up to be self-administered. 6 Respondents can provide affirmative or negative answers, and one point is given for a positive response. Thus, the total score can range from zero to five points, and subjects are classified as robust if the score is zero points, pre-frail with one to two points, or frail with three or more points. These classifications represent the subjects' respective tiredness, resistance, ambulation, disease and weight loss.

Effects of Nurse and Care Worker-led Foot-Care Program on Older People’s Foot Conditions: Before and After Intervention Study

“…The effect of foot care on the population with frailty and foot disorders needs to be explored in greater depth in future studies. Additionally, similar to a previous study that explored the link between frailty syndrome and foot pain (Navarro-Flores et al, 2021), the association between frailty and various foot disorders should be studied in Japan in the future. Further, nail length and skin dryness may improve over a short period; however, toe and arch deformities, and circulation need to be examined over a longer period.…”

“…Moreover, the foot-care instruments or methods used in previous studies of older people in the community with diabetes were not adequately suited to this population. In future studies, a different study design may be used based on resources presented in previous studies (Navarro-Flores et al, 2018, 2020a, 2020c, 2021Sánchez-Gómez et al, 2020;Simón-Pérez et al, 2020).…”

Frailty as a Predictor of Hospitalization and Low Quality of Life in Geriatric Patients at an Internal Medicine Outpatient Clinic: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…Previous studies have found frailty to be associated with various diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, COPD, asthma, stroke, foot pain, cognitive impairment, and depression [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]. These comorbidities are usually found in older people, so frailty status should be evaluated in these patients.…”