A year of foot and ankle orthotic provision for adults: Prospective consultations data, with patient satisfaction survey

ObjectivesTo characterise 12 months’ adult, foot and ankle orthotic out-patient consultations in a regional centre; and to survey patients regarding their satisfaction with services received.MethodsProspective survey questionnaires completed by: (1) orthotists, during consecutive clinic consultations (n = 4402 representing 2494 patients); (2) all patients receiving foot or ankle orthoses (n = 1469), mailed 5 weeks later. Questions included a standard foot pain item, patients’ perceived usefulness of the orthosis, and satisfaction with services received. Logistic regression identified factors associated with patients finding their orthosis ‘very’ or ‘fairly helpful’.ResultsConsultations addressed myriad foot, ankle or other conditions. EVA (soft) foot orthoses were most commonly prescribed. The response rate from patients was 72%. Most (73%) said their orthosis would be ‘very’ or ‘fairly helpful’. Following adjustment, females were less likely than males to find orthoses helpful (OR 0.71, p = 0.031). All older age groups were at least twice as likely to find orthoses helpful as patients aged <40 (p < 0.01). Ninety percent of respondents were ‘very’ or ‘fairly satisfied’ with the service received.ConclusionsWomen, younger patients and those with more severe pain were less likely to perceive benefit from foot and ankle orthoses than other groups and may therefore require adjuvant or alternative intervention.