Prevalence and Characteristics of Fibromyalgia in Patients with Foot and Ankle Pain: The Experience of an Academic Podiatry Clinic

Background and Objectives: Research about the prevalence of fibromyalgia in podiatric patients is limited, with data suggesting potentially higher estimates and greater foot impairment in patients with fibromyalgia compared to healthy individuals. The aim of our study is to assess the prevalence of fibromyalgia in the podiatric healthcare setting and to research the characteristics of fibromyalgia patients with foot or ankle disorders. Materials and Methods: Consecutive patients visiting the academic podiatry clinic at the University of Bologna IRCCS Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute between 11 January and 31 March 2021 were enrolled. Results: Of the 151 patients included, 21 met the fibromyalgia survey diagnostic criteria, accounting for a prevalence of 13.9% (95% CI 8.8-20.5). As part of the podiatric assessment, the Foot Function Index (FFI) was used to calculate the impact of foot and ankle problems. Moreover, patients with fibromyalgia were asked to complete the fibromyalgia impact questionnaire (FIQ). Fibromyalgia patients had significantly worse total FFI scores (63.4 ± 23.0% vs. 53.2 ± 20.3%, p = 0.038) and there was a significant linear correlation between the FFI and the FIQ (r = 0.72, p < 0.001). Conclusions: The prevalence of fibromyalgia in the academic podiatry clinic being 13.9% confirms that, in the healthcare setting, the disease can be more frequent than in the general population. Furthermore, our findings suggest a strong correlation between foot impairment and the impact of fibromyalgia.