Foot Pain

Relationship between obesity and foot pain and its association with fat mass, fat distribution, and muscle mass

  1. Stephanie K. Tanamas1,†,
  2. Anita E. Wluka1,†,
  3. Patricia Berry1,
  4. Hylton B. Menz2,
  5. Boyd J. Strauss3,
  6. Miranda Davies-Tuck1,
  7. Joseph Proietto4,
  8. John B. Dixon5,
  9. Graeme Jones6,
  10. Flavia M. Cicuttini1,*

Article first published online: 25 JAN 2012

DOI: 10.1002/acr.20663

Issue

Arthritis Care & Research

Arthritis Care & Research

Volume 64, Issue 2, pages 262–268, February 2012

Additional Information

How to Cite

Tanamas, S. K., Wluka, A. E., Berry, P., Menz, H. B., Strauss, B. J., Davies-Tuck, M., Proietto, J., Dixon, J. B., Jones, G. and Cicuttini, F. M. (2012), Relationship between obesity and foot pain and its association with fat mass, fat distribution, and muscle mass. Arthritis Care & Research, 64: 262–268. doi: 10.1002/acr.20663

Author Information

  1. 1

    Monash University and Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

  2. 2

    La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia

  3. 3

    Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

  4. 4

    University of Melbourne and Austin Health Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

  5. 5

    Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute and Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

  6. 6

    Menzies Research Institute, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

  1. †

    Ms Tanamas and Dr. Wluka contributed equally to this work.

*School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Alfred Centre, Commercial Road, Melbourne, Victoria 3004, Australia

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 25 JAN 2012
  2. Article first published online: 25 JAN 2012
  3. Accepted manuscript online: 3 OCT 2011 09:58AM EST
  4. Manuscript Accepted: 29 SEP 2011
  5. Manuscript Received: 8 JUN 2011

Funded by

  • National Health and Medical Research Council
  • Monash University
  • Shepherd Foundation
  • Royal Australasian College of Physicians

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Abstract

Objective

To examine the relationship between obesity, body composition, and foot pain as assessed by the Manchester Foot Pain and Disability Index (MFPDI).

Methods

Subjects 25–62 years of age (n = 136) were recruited as part of a study examining the relationship between obesity and musculoskeletal health. Foot pain was defined as current foot pain and pain in the last month, and an MFPDI score of ≥1. Body composition (tissue mass and fat distribution) was measured using dual x-ray absorptiometry.

Results

The body mass index (BMI) in this population was normally distributed around a mean of 32.1 kg/m2. The prevalence of foot pain was 55.1%. There was a positive association between BMI and foot pain (odds ratio [OR] 1.11, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.06–1.17). Foot pain was also positively associated with fat mass (OR 1.05, 95% CI 1.02–1.09) and fat mass index (FMI; OR 1.16, 95% CI 1.06–1.28) when adjusted for age, sex, and skeletal muscle mass and age, sex, and fat-free mass index (FFMI), respectively. When examining fat distribution, positive associations were observed for android/total body fat ratio (OR 1.42, 95% CI 1.11–1.83) and android/gynoid fat ratio (OR 35.15, 95% CI 2.60–475.47), although gynoid/total body fat ratio was inversely related to foot pain (OR 0.83, 95% CI 0.73–0.93). Skeletal muscle mass and FFMI were not associated with foot pain when adjusted for fat mass or FMI, respectively.

Conclusion

Increasing BMI, specifically android fat mass, is strongly associated with foot pain and disability. This may imply both biomechanical and metabolic mechanisms.

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