• Can Foot Orthoses Benefit Symptomatic

Runners? Mechanistic and Clinical Insights

Through a Scoping Review

Francis Del Duchetto1†, Cloé Dussault-Picard1,2†, Martine Gagnon3

, Philippe Dixon1,4 and Yosra Cherni1,2,5,6*

Abstract
Background Running is a widely practiced sport worldwide associated with a host of benefits on cardiovascular,
metabolic, musculoskeletal, and mental health, but often leads to musculoskeletal overuse injuries. The prescription
of a foot orthosis (FO) is common to manage musculoskeletal impairments during physical activity or functional tasks.
Although FOs are frequently prescribed by clinicians for symptomatic populations of runners, the existing literature
supporting the prescription of FOs in runners has predominantly focused on either uninjured individuals or a mix

of uninjured and symptomatic populations. Thus, the effects of FOs on the treatment and/or prevention of over-
use running injuries need to be investigated to guide future research and assist clinicians in their decision-making

process.
Main body This scoping review aimed to evaluate the immediate and long-term effects of FOs on lower limb
biomechanics, neuromuscular parameters, and pain and disability in symptomatic runners, and to identify factors
that may influence the effects of FOs. Five databases (CINAHL, SPORTDiscus, MEDLINE, Embase, and Web of Science)
were searched, resulting in 2536 studies. A total of 30 studies, published between 1992 and 2023 (730 symptomatic
runners), were included following the removal of duplicates and the screening process. Wearing FOs while running
is related to an immediate and a long-term decrease in pain and symptoms of overuse running injuries. Also, wearing
FOs while running decreases eversion at the foot/ankle complex, leads to a more lateral plantar pressure at the heel
and forefoot, and may change running motor control strategies. Finally, the effectiveness of FOs is influenced by its
added features.
Conclusions This study provides recommendations for future research such as the need for standardized methods
in describing FOs, considering participant characteristics such as foot morphology, and comparing different types

of FOs. Also, this scoping review provides valuable insights for guiding the prescription and design of FOs, and sug-
gests that integrating FOs into a comprehensive treatment plan may yield better results than standalone first-line

treatments. Nonetheless, this scoping review highlights the need for future research to explore the optimal integra-
tion of FOs into injury-specific treatment plans.

https://doi.org/10.1186/s40798-024-00774-w