Foot Orthoses in Lower Limb Overuse Conditions: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

There is evidence from the meta-analysis to support the use of foot orthoses in the prevention of the first incidence of lower-limb overuse conditions. The inclusion of orthoses in a treatment program for individuals who already have an overuse condition is difficult to support or refute because of the generally poor research base, which has been highlighted by this systematic review. There is evidence from pooled data that there is no difference between the use of custom and prefabricated foot orthoses, inferring that practitioners may use either in the prevention and treatment of lower-limb overuse injuries. Focal points for future research conducted in this area include longer intervention durations, greater consistency with reliable measures, and better consensus in definitions of foot orthoses.