Going Barefoot in the Home May Contribute to Elder Falls

As summer rolls around, elders may want to think twice about taking their shoes off when they get home. Going barefoot in the home, or wearing slippers or socks with no shoes, may contribute to falls among seniors, according to a new study from the Institute for Aging Research of Hebrew SeniorLife. The study is available online in Footwear Science.

The study found that nearly 52% of the participants who reported a fall were either barefoot, wearing socks without shoes, or wearing slippers at the time of their fall. These people also reported more serious injuries, including fractures, sprains, dislocations, and pulled or torn muscles, ligaments, or tendons, as a result of their fall.

Study participants underwent a comprehensive baseline falls assessment, including a home visit and clinic examination. During the assessment, they were asked what type of shoe they usually wear. Options included athletic shoes (sneakers), flat-sole canvas shoes, oxfords or other tied shoes, loafers, sandals, pumps, slippers, socks or stockings only, or barefoot. Participants were followed for an average of 27.5 months and were asked to record each day whether they had fallen; those reporting falls were asked about the shoes they were wearing when they fell.

Of those who reported falling, more than 18% were barefoot when they fell. Nearly 27% were wearing slippers and 7% were wearing socks only.

Prevention of falls among older adults is a major clinical and public health concern. Previous studies have shown that more than 20% of elders do not wear shoes around the home. For those who did, slippers were by far the most common shoe type. Studies also show that fall risk is markedly increased when older people are barefoot or in stocking feet, while others report that balance is adversely affected when people are barefoot.

Source: Hebrew SeniorLife Institute for Aging Research