Epidemiological survey of foot problems in the continental United States: 1978-1979

Abstract

Questionnaire cards were sent to 45,000 family shoe store customers; 15,000 cards were completed and returned, thereby permitting a broad statistical base in respect to the incidence and types of foot problems encountered in the United States. The incidence of corns, calluses, warts, ingrown toenails, bunions, hallux rigidus, hammer toes, cavus, and pes planus were correlated with age, sex, race, and demographic background, along with the incidence of surgery, conservative treatment, or no treatment. The extrapolated data indicated that 40% of the population have foot problems, of which 12% had surgery and 7% have been untreated.