Do Custom-Made Foot Orthoses Improve Quality of Life and Pain in Patients with Sciatica?

Background: Lumbar radicular pain, commonly referred to as sciatica, is a prevalent musculoskeletal condition that negatively impacts patients’ quality of life. Evidence regarding the use of foot orthoses in patients with sciatica secondary to lumbar disc herniation remains limited. Objectives: To determine the influence of custom-made foot orthoses on health-related quality of life and perceived pain in patients with chronic radicular pain secondary to non-traumatic lumbar or lumbosacral disc herniation. Methods: A randomized, controlled, double-blind clinical trial was conducted. Fifty-two patients (mean age: 46.12 ± 9.37 years; 53.8% men, 46.2% women) were allocated to either a customized functional foot orthoses group or a cushioning flat insole group. Pain, foot-related disability, low back disability, and health-related quality of life were assessed at baseline and after three months using the 11-point Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), Manchester Foot Pain and Disability Index (MFPDI), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and Short Form-12 (SF-12) questionnaire. Results: No statistically significant differences were observed between treatment groups in foot pain (p=0.821), lower-limb pain (p=0.244), low back pain (p=0.497), low back disability (p=0.684), or physical quality of life (p=0.069) after follow-up. However, participants treated with customized functional foot orthoses showed significant intragroup improvements in foot function (MFPDI-Function: p=0.046; MFPDI-Total: p=0.033) and in the physical component of health-related quality of life (SF-12 Physical: p=0.031), whereas no significant changes were observed in the cushioning insole group (p>0.05). Conclusions: Customized functional foot orthoses may improve foot function and physical health-related quality of life in patients with chronic radicular pain secondary to lumbar or lumbosacral disc herniation. Further studies with larger sample sizes and longer follow-up periods are required to confirm these findings.