Clinical Profile, Risk Factors and Quality-of-Life Burden of Foot Corns Among Adults in an Industrial Town of Tamil Nadu, India: A Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the clinical profile, risk factors, functional impairment, and health-related quality of life associated with foot corns among adults in an industrial community in Tamil Nadu, India. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2025 to March 2026. Using random household sampling, 272 adults aged ≥18 y with a clinically confirmed diagnosis of foot corns were recruited. Data were collected using a pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire and a standardised foot examination. Pain was scored on a 0–10 numeric rating scale (NRS), functional difficulty on a 0–15 composite score, and HRQoL using the validated RAND 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36). Domain scores were compared with published Indian SF-36 reference values using one-sample t-tests; group differences and associations were assessed using the chi-square, Mann–Whitney U, Kruskal–Wallis and Spearman correlation tests. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05. Results: Among the 272 participants, most worked (72.4%) and stood (44.5%) for more than 6 h/d. The plantar forefoot was the commonest site of involvement (69.9%), and 37.5% had bilateral disease. The mean NRS pain score was 6.3±1.9, with moderate-to-severe pain in 86.4% of participants; 80.5% reported moderate-to-severe functional difficulty. All eight SF-36 domains were significantly lower than the Indian reference values reported by Sinha et al. (p<0.001 across seven domains; p = 0.046 for Mental Health), the largest deficit being in Role-Physical (29.41 vs 72.00; mean difference −42.59). Physical Component Summary (PCS: 56.0 → 51.4 → 42.9; p<0.001) and Mental Component Summary (MCS: 56.1 → 53.0 → 46.6; p<0.001) scores fell progressively with worsening pain severity. Bilateral involvement (p = 0.001) and the presence of medical comorbidities (p = 0.020) were independently associated with greater functional impairment. Conclusion: Foot corns represent a substantial and previously underappreciated HRQoL burden in adults from industrial communities, producing greater deficits in physical role functioning than are seen in many chronic systemic conditions. The incorporation of routine podiatric screening, footwear advice and ergonomic workplace interventions into community and occupational health programmes is warranted.