Insoles set to take pain out of feet

The research will focus on providing a simple and inexpensive solution to people with scleroderma, a rare but serious connective tissue disorder.

A total of 140 patients badly affected by the condition will be asked to test the effectiveness of a cushioning, warming insole .

The study is being funded by a 200,000 grant from the Chesterfield-based charity Arthritis Research UK.

Scleroderma affects about 5,000 people in Britain and leads to thickening of body tissues due to the over-production of collagen. Until recently the disease was often fatal.

Researchers have concentrated on finding new treatments targeting the whole-body effects. As a result, foot problems have often been overlooked.

Tony Redmond, Arthritis Research UK senior lecturer in the Leeds Institute of Molecular Medicine at Leeds University, said: "Patients have told us painful foot problems stop them doing normal activities and were important enough to them for us to do something about it.

"We think this simple intervention could make a big difference to many patients – at very little cost."