Evidence map›Paper›PMID 25783423›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2015

Lifelong bound feet in China: a quantitative ultrasound and lifestyle questionnaire study in postmenopausal women.

Ling Qin, Yi Pan, Ming Zhang, Mian Xu, Hanchang Lao, Michael C O'Laughlin, Shan Tong, Yanling Zhao, V W Y Hung, J C Y Cheng and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Ling QinDepartment of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Bone Quality and Health Centre, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
Yi PanDepartment of Endocrinology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan Province, China.
Ming ZhangDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
Mian XuDepartment of Endocrinology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan Province, China.
Hanchang LaoDepartment of Orthopaedics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan Province, China.
Michael C O'LaughlinDepartment of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Bone Quality and Health Centre, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
Shan TongDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
Yanling ZhaoTraining Department of International Osteoporosis Diagnosis and Treatment, Health Promotion Foundation of China, Beijing, China.
V W Y HungDepartment of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Bone Quality and Health Centre, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
J C Y ChengDepartment of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Bone Quality and Health Centre, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
Xia GuoDepartment of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, Hong Kong.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveThe phenomenon of foot binding, also known as 'lotus feet', has an enduring and influential history in China. To achieve a man-made smaller foot size, lifelong foot binding may have had adverse effects on the skeleton. We investigated bone properties in postmenopausal women with bound feet, which may provide new information for developing countermeasures for prevention of fragility fractures.

designPopulation-based cohort study.

participantsThis study involved 254 postmenopausal women aged 65-80, including 172 with bound feet and 82 age- and gender-matched control subjects, living in a remote region of China. OUTCOMES: Anthropometric, SF-36 Lifestyle Questionnaire and heel quantitative ultrasound (QUS) data were collected for the whole study population. A small subset of two cases was also invited for assessment of bone mineral density and microarchitecture at the distal tibia using high-resolution peripheral quantitative CT (HR-pQCT) and gait and balance tests.

resultsWomen with bound feet had significantly lower QUS values than age-matched women with normal feet; this was supported by HR-pQCT data. However, SF-36 Questionnaire results did not reveal any statistically significant differences in any categorical responses, including physical functioning, general health vitality and physical component summary score, and number of previous fractures. No impairment of body balance was found in the small subset.

conclusionsThe man-made changes caused by foot binding led to reduced physical activity, making the subjects prone to osteoporosis. Women with bound feet and osteoporosis did not have a higher incidence of fragility fractures than controls. This might be explained by compensation in physical activity to improve body balance, implying the importance of improving or maintaining body balance in overall prevention strategies against fragility fractures.

Indexed as

Absorptiometry, PhotonAgedBone DensityChinaCohort StudiesCultureFemaleFootFoot Deformities, AcquiredHeelHumansOsteoporosisPostmenopauseQuality of LifeSurveys and QuestionnairesTibiaORTHOPAEDIC & TRAUMA SURGERY

Identifiers

PMID25783423
PMCPMC4368908

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.