Table 3.

Results of the included studies.

Author	Cases	Footwear Type (Shoes/Boots)	Results	Foot and Lower Limb pain	Foot Lesions	Discomfort (%)
Copper AW et al.—2021 [6]	207	Elastic sided safety boots (46%), high cut lace up safety boots (40%), Low-Mid cut safety shoes (8%)	Elastic sided safety boots were the most used and were associated with lower back, hip, leg, ankle, and foot pain. High cut lace up safety boots were associated with lower back, leg, ankle, heel, foot, toe pain. Low-Mid cut safety shoes were associated with hip pain.	Lower back pain (56%), foot pain (36.7%), knee pain (24.6%), leg pain (21.3%), ankle pain (17.9%), hip pain (15.5%), toe pain (13%) and heel pain (11.1%). If foot, toe and heel pain are combined to total foot pain, 60.8% of respondents experienced some type of foot pain.	/	Hot and heavy (>50%)
Janson D et al.—2021 [7]	632	/	60% of women and 45% of men found their SF less comfortable than their regular footwear. The users of SF accepted a level of discomfort in at least one area of the foot before deeming footwear ‘uncomfortable’.	/	/	60% of women and 45% of men indicate that their SF is either very uncomfortable or not as comfortable.
Marr SJ et al.—1993 [11]	321	safety shoes incorporating a steal toe cap	An extremely high percentage (91%) of subjects reported one or more foot problems, and most considered that the SF either caused the problem or adversely affected an existing foot condition.	Painful feet (49%)	Callouses (33%), hard nails (28%) and corns (27%).	Excessive heat (65%), inflexible soles (52%), weight (48%) and pressure from steel toe cap (47%).
Dobson JA et al.—2018 [14]	357	Gumboot (66.3%), Leather lace-up boot (32.5%)	Underground coal miners were not satisfied with their current mining work boots, reporting a high incidence of foot problems and pain. Over half of the underground coal miners surveyed believed their work boots contributed to their lower limb pain and reported their work boots were uncomfortable.	Lower back pain (44.5%), foot pain (42.3%), knee pain (21.5%) and ankle pain (24.9%).	Foot problems in 55.3%: calluses (33.1%), dry skin (30.2%) and tinea (12.8%) being the most common complaints.	82.4% indicated a work boot fit rating of ‘reasonable’ to ‘good’.
Dobson JA et al.—2017 [15]	358	Gumboot (66.3%), Leather lace-up boot (32.5%)	Although leather lace-up boots positively influenced coal miners’ perceptions of support and fit provided by their work boots, lower back pain, foot pain and calluses are still frequently report irrespective of boot type.	No significant differences between the two boots regarding lower back, hip, knee, ankle, or foot pain prevalence. Significant differences regarding the type and location of foot problems and pain.	No significant differences between the two boots regarding calluses and blisters prevalence.	Leather lace-up boot wearers were more likely to rate their mining work boot comfort as “comfortable” when compared to gumboot wearers (59.6% vs. 27.1%), and <10% of leather lace-up boot wearers rate as “uncomfortable”.
Dobson JA et al.—2020 [16]	20	Steel-capped safety boots = 4 work boot conditions: (1) a flexible shaft + stiff sole, (2) a stiff shaft + stiff sole, (3) a stiff shaft + flexible sole and (4) a flexible shaft + flexible sole	This study examined the impact of variations in shaft stiffness and sole flexibility on both perceived comfort and plantar pressures on a simulated uneven surface. While perceived comfort remained unaffected, the flexible shaft and stiff sole combination significantly influenced plantar pressures, and participants preferred boots with this configuration due to factors like fit, mobility, walking effort, and support.	/	/	Type flexible shaft + stiff sole boot was the “best boot” because of the perceived fit and ankle support, and because it was perceived to be comfortable and easy to walk in
Brans R. et al.—2023 [9]	168	shoes/boots	A work-related foot dermatosis was likely in 26.0%. Out of these, foot eczema represents 93.3% of cases (based on subtypes: (1) Irritant Contact Dermatitis in 97.9%—in most cases, accompanied by atopic foot eczema; (2) allergic contact dermatitis in 53.8%; (3) hyperkeratotic eczema in 26.9%, psoriasis in 14.8%, and Tinea pedis in 3.8%.	/	Work-related foot dermatosis was significantly more often associated with itch, pain when walking and smelling feet.	The most common complaint about the occupational footwear was sweating (62.8%).

Abbreviations: SF, safety footwear.