Sneakers are the safest kind of shoes to wear for seniors, when it comes to preventing falls, a new study has found.
Falls are the most frequent cause of fatal injury to older Americans, and the choice of footwear for adults aged 65 and older may be an important factor in preventing these falls, according to researchers at Seattle’s Harborview Injury Prevention & Research Center and Group Health Cooperative of Puget Sound.
The study monitored 1,371 Group Health Cooperative enrollees aged 65 and older over a two-year period, during which 327 falls occurred. Most falls happened inside or near the home.
Fallers were asked to call a telephone hotline as soon as possible after their falls, to answer a series of questions.
Athletic and canvas shoes were compared with lace-up oxfords, loafers/flats, boots, high heels, sandals and slippers, and going shoeless.
Sneakers, most commonly worn by the sample of older adults, were associated with the lowest risk of falling, while those going shoeless had the highest risk. Other footwear was associated with a 30 percent greater risk of a fall.
Sneakers were found to be safest because they have a relatively wide rubber or crepe sole, low heel height, and a large area of contact between the shoe sole and the walking surface.
While being barefoot has been associated with good balance performance in the laboratory, walking without shoes leaves the foot more vulnerable to painful injury.
« Falls among older adults can lead to hip and other fractures, head injuries, hospitalization, or limited mobility and quality of life, » said Dr. Thomas Koepsell, a University of Washington (UW) professor of epidemiology, and the study’s principal investigator.