Foot-specific health status in a large convenience sample of adults living in Spain: a cross-sectional study

Foot health is crucial to people’s overall well-being and independence but is often underestimated. Foot injuries are common, affecting mobility and increasing the risk of falls. This study aimed to evaluate foot-specific health status using section 1 of the Foot Health Status Questionnaire (FHSQ), including the domains of foot pain, foot function, footwear, and general foot health. An observational, analytical, cross-sectional study was conducted in 2,424 adults residing in Spain. Participants completed the Foot Health Status Questionnaire (FHSQ), which assesses foot pain, foot function, footwear, and general foot health. The final sample consisted of 2,424 participants, including 1,998 women and 426 men, with a mean age of 37.86 years. Significant sex differences were observed, with men reporting better scores in the footwear domain. Geographical and age-related differences were also significant, with older adults reporting poorer foot-specific health status. Differences in foot-specific health status were observed according to sex, age, and geographical region. These findings may help inform future preventive strategies and podiatric care planning in adults with different demographic characteristics. Differences in foot-specific health status were observed across demographic groups, although their magnitude was generally small. These findings may help inform future preventive strategies and podiatric care planning.