Association Between Baseline PROMIS Scores, Patient-Provider Communication Factors, and Musculoskeletal Health Literacy on Patient and Surgeon Expectations in Foot and Ankle Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Various factors may affect differences between patient and surgeon expectations. This study aimed to assess associations between patient-reported physical and mental status, patient-surgeon communication, and musculoskeletal health literacy with differences in patient and surgeon expectations of foot and ankle surgery. METHODS: Two hundred two patients scheduled to undergo foot or ankle surgery at an academic hospital were enrolled. Preoperatively, patients and surgeons completed the Hospital for Special Surgery Foot & Ankle Surgery Expectations Survey. Patients also completed Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) scores in Physical Function, Pain Interference, Pain Intensity, Depression, and Global Health. Patient-surgeon communication and musculoskeletal health literacy were assessed via the modified Patients' Perceived Involvement in Care Scale (PICS) and Literacy in Musculoskeletal Problems (LiMP) questionnaire, respectively. RESULTS: Greater differences in patient and surgeon overall expectations scores were associated with worse scores in Physical Function (P = .003), Pain Interference (P = .001), Pain Intensity (P = .009), Global Physical Health (P < .001), and Depression (P = .009). A greater difference in the number of expectations between patients and surgeons was associated with all of the above (P ≤ .003) and with worse Global Mental Health (P = .003). Patient perceptions of higher surgeons' partnership building were associated with a greater number of patient than surgeon expectations (P = .017). There were no associations found between musculoskeletal health literacy and differences in expectations. CONCLUSION: Worse baseline patient physical and mental status and higher patient perceptions of provider partnership building were associated with higher patient than surgeon expectations. It may be beneficial for surgeons to set more realistic expectations with patients who have greater disability and in those whom they have stronger partnerships with. Further studies are warranted to understand how modifications in patient and surgeon interactions and patient health literacy affect agreement in expectations of foot and ankle surgery. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level II, prospective comparative series.

Comparison of Patients' and Surgeons' Expectations in Foot and Ankle Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Aligning patient and surgeon expectations may improve patient satisfaction and outcomes. This study aimed to assess differences in expectations of foot and ankle surgery between patients and their surgeons. METHODS: Two hundred two patients scheduled to undergo foot or ankle surgery by one of 7 fellowship-trained foot and ankle surgeons were enrolled. Preoperatively, patients and surgeons completed the Hospital for Special Surgery Foot & Ankle Surgery Expectations Survey independently. Differences between patient and surgeon overall expectations scores, number of expectations, and number of expectations with complete improvement expected were assessed. A difference of ≥10 points was considered a clinically important difference in expectations score. Associations between patient demographic and clinical characteristics, major/minor surgery, and individual surgeon with differences in expectations were also assessed. RESULTS: Overall, 66.3% of patients had higher expectations, 21.3% had concordant expectations, and 12.4% had lower expectations compared with their surgeons. On average, patients had higher expectations scores than their surgeons (70 ± 20 vs 52 ± 20 points, P < .001). Patients expected complete improvement in a greater number of expectations than surgeons (mean 11 ± 7 vs 1 ± 3, P < .001). Patients had higher expectations than surgeons for 18 of 23 items (78%). Items that had the greatest number of patients with higher expectations than surgeons were "improve confidence in foot/ankle," "prevent foot/ankle from getting worse," and "improve pain at rest." Higher body mass index (BMI) (P = .027) and individual surgeon (P < .001) were associated with greater differences between patient-surgeon expectations. Major/minor surgery was not associated with differences in expectations (P ≥ .142). CONCLUSION: More than two-thirds of patients had significantly higher expectations than their surgeons. Higher BMI was associated with higher patient than surgeon expectations. These results emphasize the importance for foot and ankle surgeons to adequately educate patients preoperatively. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level II, prospective comparative study.

Return to Sports and Physical Activities After First Metatarsophalangeal Joint Arthrodesis in Young Patients.

BACKGROUND: Arthrodesis of the first metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint has been shown to be effective in alleviating pain and correcting deformity in hallux rigidus. However, outcomes in specific sports and physical activities remain unclear. The aim of this study was to assess sports and physical activities in young patients following first MTP joint arthrodesis and to compare these results with clinical outcomes. METHODS: Patients between ages 18 and 55 years who underwent MTP arthrodesis were identified by review of a prospective registry. Fifty of 73 eligible patients (68%) were reached for follow-up at a mean of 5.1 (range, 2.2-10.2) years with a mean age at surgery of 49.7 (range, 23-55) years. Physical activity was evaluated with a previously developed sports-specific, patient-administered questionnaire. Clinical outcomes were evaluated with the Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS). RESULTS: Patients participated in 22 different sports and physical activities. The most common were walking, biking, weightlifting, swimming, running, and golf. Compared to preoperatively, patients rated 27.4% of activities as less difficult, 51.2% as the same, and 21.4% as more difficult. Patients returned to 44.6% of preoperative physical activities in less than 6 months and reached their maximal level of participation in 88.6% of physical activities. Ninety-six percent of patients (48/50) were satisfied with the procedure regarding return to sports and physical activities. Improvements in the FAOS Symptoms subscore were associated with increased postoperative running and walking duration, and improvements in FAOS Pain subscores were associated with greater patient satisfaction. CONCLUSION: Patients were able to participate in a wide variety of sports and physical activities postoperatively. Some patients reported increased difficulty, but were nonetheless satisfied with the procedure regarding physical activity participation. These findings suggest that first MTP joint arthrodesis is a reasonable option in young, active patients, and may be used to guide postoperative expectations. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, retrospective case series.