Enhancing teamwork in higher education: Experiences of podiatry students using SPARK for self- and peer-assessment in group work.

Background: Teamwork is essential for delivering high-quality healthcare, particularly given the increasing complexity of care due to chronic diseases, comorbidities and limited resources. The necessary skills and attributes for effective teamwork are often taught and assessed through group work within healthcare education programs. While group work can assist the development of skills and attributes of students to be effective team members, it also presents challenges, such as ensuring equitable student contributions.

Motivators and barriers for studying podiatry in Australia and New Zealand: A mixed methods study.

Background: Podiatry enrolments at Australian and New Zealand universities have decreased by 17.3% since 2015, which threatens the profession's sustainability and the health and wellbeing of Australian and New Zealand people and communities. Reasons for this decline remain unclear due to insufficient evidence on factors influencing career choices.

Efficacy of arch contouring foot orthoses for midfoot osteoarthritis: Protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

Introduction: Midfoot osteoarthritis (OA) is a painful and disabling condition. Arch contouring foot orthoses have been recommended for midfoot OA, yet there is no high-quality evidence from randomised controlled trials to support their use. This clinical trial aims to evaluate the efficacy of arch contouring foot orthoses for midfoot OA.

The financial burden of diabetes-related foot disease in Australia: a systematic review.

Background: Diabetes-related foot disease (DFD) is a common, costly, and severe complication of diabetes mellitus. DFD is associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality and poses a significant burden on patients, healthcare systems and society. While the detrimental impact of DFD is widely recognised, the precise financial implications of its management in Australia remain unclear due to inconsistent and inconclusive contemporary data.

Efficacy of non-surgical interventions for midfoot osteoarthritis: a systematic review.

This systematic review aims to investigate the efficacy of non-surgical interventions for midfoot osteoarthritis (OA). Key databases and trial registries were searched from inception to 23 February 2023. All trials investigating non-surgical interventions for midfoot OA were included.

Health-related quality of life is substantially worse in individuals with plantar heel pain.

This study aimed to compare health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in people with and without plantar heel pain (PHP). This was a cross-sectional observational study that compared 50 adult participants with PHP to 25 participants without PHP who were matched for age, sex and body mass index (BMI). HRQoL measures included a generic measure, the Short Form 36 version 2 (SF-36v2), and foot-specific measures, including 100 mm visual analogue scales (VASs) for pain, the Foot Health Status Questionnaire (FHSQ), and the Foot Function Index-Revised (FFI-R).

Australian guideline on prevention of foot ulceration: part of the 2021 Australian evidence-based guidelines for diabetes-related foot disease.

Background: There are no current Australian guidelines on the prevention of diabetes-related foot ulceration (DFU). A national expert panel aimed to systematically identify and adapt suitable international guidelines to the Australian context to create new Australian evidence-based guidelines on prevention of first-ever and/or recurrent DFU. These guidelines will include for the first-time considerations for rural and remote, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Activity and footwear characteristics in people with and without plantar heel pain: A matched cross-sectional observational study.

Background: Activity and footwear may be associated with plantar heel pain (PHP), however both factors have rarely been investigated. The aim of this study was to investigate activity and footwear characteristics in PHP while controlling for important confounders.

Method: This cross-sectional observational study compared 50 participants with PHP to 25 participants without PHP who were matched for age, sex and body mass index.

Medical imaging for plantar heel pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Medical imaging can be used to assist with the diagnosis of plantar heel pain. The aim of this study was to synthesise medical imaging features associated with plantar heel pain.

Methods: This systematic review and meta-analysis conducted searches in MEDLINE, CINAHL, SPORTDiscus, Embase and the Cochrane Library from inception to 12th February 2021.

Duration of total contact casting for resolution of acute Charcot foot: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: Charcot neuroarthropathy (Charcot foot) is a highly destructive joint disease of the foot and ankle. If there is delayed diagnosis and treatment, it can lead to gross deformity, instability, recurrent ulceration and/or amputation. Total contact casting (TCC) is a treatment commonly used to immobilise the foot and ankle to prevent trauma, further destruction and preserve the foot structure during the inflammatory phase.

Clinical measures of foot posture and ankle joint dorsiflexion do not differ in adults with and without plantar heel pain.

Foot posture and ankle joint dorsiflexion have long been proposed to be risk factors for plantar heel pain, however body mass may be a confounder when investigating these factors. The aim of this study was to determine if clinical measures of foot posture and ankle joint dorsiflexion differ in adults with and without plantar heel pain after accounting for body mass. This was a cross-sectional observational study that compared 50 participants with plantar heel pain to 25 control participants without plantar heel pain who were matched for age, sex and body mass index.

Infrared dermal thermometry is highly reliable in the assessment of patients with Charcot neuroarthropathy.

Background: Charcot neuroarthropathy (Charcot foot) is a serious limb-threatening complication most commonly seen in individuals with diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Although dermal thermometry is widely used by clinicians to assist in the diagnosis, monitoring, and management of the disease, there is limited high-quality evidence to support its reliability. Therefore, this study investigated the intra-rater and inter-rater reliability of infrared dermal thermometry in patients with Charcot neuroarthropathy.

Risk factors for foot ulceration in adults with end-stage renal disease on dialysis: a prospective observational cohort study.

Background: Dialysis patients experience high rates of foot ulceration. Although risk factors for ulceration have been extensively studied in patients with diabetes, there is limited high-quality, longitudinal evidence in the dialysis population. Therefore, this study investigated risk factors for foot ulceration in a stable dialysis cohort.

Evaluating the Introduction of an Allied Health Clinical Research Office at a Health Service: Effects on Research Participation, Interest, and Experience of Allied Health Professionals.

Unlabelled: Following the introduction of an allied health clinical research office at a large metropolitan health service, we aimed to measure change in self-reported research participation, interest and experience of allied health professionals.

Methods: Allied health professionals were surveyed using the Research Spider tool in 2015 (n=245), and the results were compared to a similar survey completed in 2007 at the same health service (n=132).

Results: Overall, allied health professionals rated themselves as having "some research interest" and "little research experience," with no significant difference from 2007 to 2015.

Factors associated with foot ulceration and amputation in adults on dialysis: a cross-sectional observational study.

Background: Adults on dialysis are at increased risk of foot ulceration, which commonly precedes more serious lower limb complications, including amputation. Limited data exist regarding the prevalence and factors associated with foot disease in this population. Hence, this study set out to investigate factors associated with foot ulceration and amputation in a dialysis cohort.

Risk factors for foot ulceration in adults with end-stage renal disease on dialysis: study protocol for a prospective observational cohort study.

Background: Adults with end-stage renal disease treated with dialysis experience a high burden of foot ulceration and lower extremity amputation. However, the risk factors for foot ulceration in the dialysis population are incompletely understood due to the lack of high-quality prospective evidence. This article outlines the design of a prospective observational cohort study, which aims to investigate the risk factors for foot ulceration in adults on dialysis.

Tendon lengthening and fascia release for healing and preventing diabetic foot ulcers: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Diabetic foot ulcers have a devastating impact on an individual's health-related quality of life and functional status. Additionally, diabetic foot ulcers impose a significant economic burden on our health care systems as a result of complications such as infection, hospitalisation and amputation. The current gold standard treatment for diabetic foot ulcers is total contact casting.

Risk factors for foot ulceration and lower extremity amputation in adults with end-stage renal disease on dialysis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Adults with end-stage renal disease are at increased risk of foot ulceration and lower extremity amputation. However, the central determinants of lower limb injury and loss are incompletely understood.

Methods: We conducted a systematic review of non-randomized studies that quantified the major risk factors for foot ulceration and amputation in adults treated with dialysis and analysed patient populations in which risks were greatest.