Abstract

About a quarter of the population suffers from foot pain at some point. It is often disabling and can affect mood, behavior, ability to care for oneself, and overall quality of life. Currently, the nature and mechanisms underlying many types of foot pain are: It is not clearly understood. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of the literature on foot pain, with particular reference to its definition, prevalence, etiology and predictors, classification, measurement, and impact. We also discuss the complexities of foot pain as a sensory, emotional and psychosocial experience in the context of clinical practice, therapeutic studies and placebo effects. A deeper understanding of foot pain is needed to identify causative pathways, classify the diagnosis, quantify severity, assess long-term effects, and target it for better clinical intervention.