Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory condition that causes swelling and pain in joints, and when it comes to ankle or foot, it's even more severe. People with rheumatoid arthritis may face difficulty in walking or even standing. A right shoe choice can help people to manage the walking induced forefoot pain. A randomized, experimental, assessor-blinded study was conducted to investigate the effects of a thin and easily customizable insole on walking induced pain in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The study also aimed to discover if the patients used insoles after one year.   

A total of 21 RA patients with walking-induced foot pain and in response to the Gänslen test were included in the study. A 4-mm thin insole made up of a malleable plastic material with synthetic textile material on the upper side was provided to each patient. The 6-min walk test (6MWT) was used to evaluate the walking capability, and 10-cm visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to measure the foot pain intensity produced by walking with and without the insole. After one year of treatment, a structured telephone interview was exhibited in which the patients were asked about the use and degree of satisfaction with insoles.

No statistically significant difference was noted in 6MWT before and after using insoles. 90% of patients were found to be using insoles after one year of treatment.