Summary of findings
| Outcomes Task | SMD (95% CI) | № of participants (studies) | Certainty of the evidence (GRADE) | Comments |
|
Minimalist vs conventional footwear
Walking and running |
SMD 0.29 lower
(0.53 lower to 0.05 lower) | 136 (8) | ⨁⨁◯◯ Low | Downgraded because of indirectness (walking and running tasks, varied footwear and patellofemoral pain and healthy populations) and risk of bias within studies |
|
Minimalist vs conventional footwear
Running |
SMD 0.40 lower
(0.68 lower to 0.11 lower) | 99 (6) | ⨁⨁◯◯ Low | Downgraded because of indirectness, (varied footwear and patellofemoral pain and healthy populations) and risk of bias within studies |
| Minimalist vs conventional footwear Walking | N/A | 37 (2) | N/A | Two studies available, GRADE not performed |
| Rocker vs non-rocker footwear Walking and running | SMD 0.37 higher (0.06 lower to 0.79 higher) | 44 (3) | ⨁◯◯◯ Very low | Downgraded because of indirectness (walking and running tasks, variations in footwear) imprecision (wide CI) and risk of bias within studies |
| Rocker vs non-rocker footwear Running | N/A | 16 (1) | N/A | One study available, GRADE not performed |
| Rocker vs non-rocker footwear Walking | N/A | 28 (2) | N/A | Two studies available, GRADE not performed |
| Medial support insole vs no insole Walking and running | SMD 0.04 higher (0.17 lower to 0.24 higher) | 163 (8) | ⨁⨁◯◯ Low | Downgraded because of indirectness (walking and running tasks, varied footwear and patellofemoral pain/osteoarthritis and healthy populations) and risk of bias within studies |
| Medial support insole vs no insole Running | SMD 0.11 higher (0.17 lower to 0.39 higher) | 98 (6) | ⨁⨁◯◯ Low | Downgraded because of indirectness (varied footwear and patellofemoral pain/osteoarthritis and healthy populations) and risk of bias within studies |
| Medial support insole vs no insole Walking | SMD 0.08 lower (0.42 lower to 0.27 higher) | 163 (3) | ⨁⨁◯◯ Low | Downgraded because of indirectness (varied footwear and patellofemoral pain/osteoarthritis and healthy populations) and risk of bias within studies |
Bold: significant SMD; N/A: Too few studies available for meta-analysis, SMD (95% CI) and GRADE not available.
GRADE Working Group grades of evidence:
High certainty: we are very confident that the true effect lies close to that of the estimate of the effect.
Moderate certainty: we are moderately confident in the effect estimate: the true effect is likely to be close to the estimate of the effect, but there is a possibility that it is substantially different.
Low certainty: our confidence in the effect estimate is limited: the true effect may be substantially different from the estimate of the effect.
Very low certainty: we have very little confidence in the effect estimate: the true effect is likely to be substantially different from the estimate of effect.
SMD of <0.2, 0.2–0.49, 0.50–0.80 and >8.0 represents a minimal, small, medium and large effect, respectively.
GRADE, Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation; NA, not available; SMD, standardised mean difference.