Relationship between Foot Disorder, Disability, and Fitness Among Older People with Low Back Pain: A Scoping Review

Authors

  • Nur Liyana Nadiah Khairudin 1) Centre for Physiotherapy Studies, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 42300 Puncak Alam, Selangor, Malaysia 2)Rehabilitation Service, Ampang Puteri Specialist Hospital, Selangor, Malaysia
  • Zarina Zahari 1)Centre for Physiotherapy Studies, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 42300 Puncak Alam, Selangor, Malaysia 2)Advanced Rehabilitation Engineering in Diagnostic and Monitoring Research Group (AREDiM), Electrical Engineering Studies, College of Engineering, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Cawangan Pulau Pinang, Permatang Pauh Campus, 13500 Permatang Pauh, Penang, Malaysia
  • Maria Justine Centre for Physiotherapy Studies, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 42300 Puncak Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
  • Meiza Anniza Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universitas Pembangunan Nasional Veteran Jakarta, 12450, Jakarta, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21834/e-bpj.v11i35.7588

Keywords:

Low Back Pain, Disability, Physical Fitness, Foot Disorder

Abstract

Foot conditions and low back pain (LBP) are common contributors to mobility decline in older people. This scoping review aimed to explore how foot disorders, physical fitness, and disability relate to LBP in later life. From 1272 records, 12 studies met the inclusion criteria. Foot problems, including deformities, weak toe flexors, and unsuitable footwear, were consistently linked to poorer balance and reduced mobility, while studies on LBP alone showed similar patterns of functional decline. However, to investigate this research gap, this review highlights the limited evidence directly examining foot disorders and LBP together.

References

Arksey, H., & O'Malley, L. (2005). Scoping studies: towards a methodological framework. International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 8(1), 19–32. https://doi.org/10.1080/1364557032000119616. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/1364557032000119616

Coyle, P. C., Knox, P. J., Pohlig, R. T., Pugliese, J. M., Sions, J. M., & Hicks, G. E. (2021). Hip Range of Motion and Strength Predict 12-Month Physical Function Outcomes in Older Adults With Chronic Low Back Pain: The Delaware Spine Studies. ACR open rheumatology, 3(12), 850–859. https://doi.org/10.1002/acr2.11342. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/acr2.11342

Coyle, P. C., Pohlig, R. T., Knox, P. J., Pugliese, J. M., Sions, J. M., & Hicks, G. E. (2024). Trajectories of Physical Function and Disability Over 12 Months in Older Adults With Chronic Low Back Pain. Journal of geriatric physical therapy (2001), 47(1), 3–12. https://doi.org/10.1519/JPT.0000000000000365 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1519/JPT.0000000000000365

de Souza, I. M., Sakaguchi, T. F., Yuan, S. L., Matsutani, L. A., do Espírito-Santo, A. de, Pereira, C. A., & Marques, A. P. (2019). Prevalence of low back pain in the elderly population: A systematic review. Clinics, 74. https://doi.org/10.6061/clinics/2019/e789 DOI: https://doi.org/10.6061/clinics/2019/e789

Ferreira, M., de Luca, K., Haile, L., Steinmetz, J., Culbreth, G., Cross, M., Kopec, J., Ferreira, P., Blyth, F., Buchbinder, R., Hartvigsen, J., Wu, A. M., Safiri, S., Woolf, A., Collins, G., Vollset, S., Smith, A., Cruz, J., Fututaki, K., … March, L. (2023). Global, Regional, and National Burden of Low Back Pain, 1990–2020, Its Attributable Risk Factors, and Projections to 2050: A Systematic Analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4318392 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4318392

Ge, L., Huang, H., Yu, Q., Li, Y., Li, X., Li, Z., Chen, X., Li, L., & Wang, C. (2022). Effects of core stability training on older women with low back pain: a randomised controlled trial. European review of aging and physical activity : official journal of the European Group for Research into Elderly and Physical Activity, 19(1), 10. https://doi.org/10.1186/s11556-022-00289-x DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s11556-022-00289-x

Kim, H. J., & Kim, S. H. (2024). Evaluation of Handgrip Strength Asymmetry to Assess Sarcopenia in Older Patients with Chronic Low Back Pain: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study. The Journal of frailty & aging, 13(4), 421–426. https://doi.org/10.14283/jfa.2024.64 DOI: https://doi.org/10.14283/jfa.2024.64

Kim, H. J., Kim, J. Y., & Kim, S. H. (2024). Performance of calf circumference in identifying sarcopenia in older patients with chronic low back pain: a retrospective cross-sectional study. BMC geriatrics, 24(1), 674. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-024-05263-z DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-024-05263-z

Kusagawa, Y., Tsutsumi, S., Shimamura, R., & Takahashi, K. (2020). Association between toe flexor strength and mobility in older adults with different foot postures. Journal of Foot and Ankle Research, 13(1), 54. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13047-020-00425-5 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13047-020-00422-y

Nah, S., Park, S. S., Choi, S., Jang, H. D., Moon, J. E., & Han, S. (2022). Associations of walking and resistance training with chronic low back pain in older adults: A cross-sectional analysis of Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data. Medicine, 101(11), e29078. https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000029078 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000029078

Nakagawa, M., Kawakami, M., Teraguchi, M., Kagotani, R., Mera, Y., Sumiya, T., Minetama, M., Yamamoto, Y., Matsuo, S., Sakon, N., Nakatani, T., Kitano, T., & Nakagawa, Y. (2020). Influence of Sarcopenia on the Effect of Exercise Therapy for Elderly Patients with Chronic Low Back Pain. Spine surgery and related research, 4(3), 247–255. https://doi.org/10.22603/ssrr.2019-0116 DOI: https://doi.org/10.22603/ssrr.2019-0116

Safiri, S., Nejadghaderi, S. A., Noori, M., Sullman, M. J., Collins, G. S., Kaufman, J. S., Hill, C. L., & Kolahi, A.-A. (2023). The burden of low back pain and its association with socio-demographic variables in the Middle East and North Africa Region, 1990–2019. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, 24(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-023-06178-3 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-023-06178-3

Sato, E. M., Magalhães, M. O., Jenkins, B. C., da Silva Ferreira, L., da Silva, H. A. R., Farias Furtado, P. R., Soares Ferreira, E. G., Dos Santos, E. C. S., Callegari, B., & Pasqual Marques, A. (2021). Low Back Pain in Elderly from Belém-Pa, Brazil: Prevalence and Association with Functional Disability. Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland), 9(12), 1658. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare9121658 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare9121658

Silva, H. J., Miranda, J. P., Silva, W. T., Fonseca, L. S., Xavier, D. M., Oliveira, M. X., & Oliveira, V. C. (2025). Group-based exercise reduces pain and disability and improves other outcomes in older people with chronic non-specific low back pain: the ESCAPE randomised trial. Journal of physiotherapy, 71(2), 108–116. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jphys.2025.03.003 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jphys.2025.03.003

Yabe, Y., Hagiwara, Y., Sugawara, Y. et al. Association between low back pain and functional disability in the elderly people: a 4-year longitudinal study after the great East Japan earthquake. BMC Geriatr 22, 930 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-022-03655-7 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-022-03655-7

White, J., Maier, A. B., Iacobaccio, L., & Iseli, R. (2024). Foot Problems in Older Adults Presenting to a Falls and Balance Clinic. Gerontology, 70(7), 732–740. https://doi.org/10.1159/000539160 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1159/000539160

Downloads

Published

2026-01-17

How to Cite

Khairudin, N. L. N., Zahari, Z., Justine, M., & Anniza, M. (2026). Relationship between Foot Disorder, Disability, and Fitness Among Older People with Low Back Pain: A Scoping Review . Environment-Behaviour Proceedings Journal, 11(35), 151–158. https://doi.org/10.21834/e-bpj.v11i35.7588

Most read articles by the same author(s)

1 2 > >>