Although the causes of falls are complex and multifactorial, shoes alter gait and impair control of stability via diminished perception of walking surfaces 6– 8, which may result in an increased risk of falling 9, 10. Furthermore, it is well accepted that plantar sensation from the cutaneous receptors, is a critical element to stability during standing and walking 3– 5. Postural and walking instabilities have been recognized as major risk factors for frequent falls in older adults 1. Strategies to prevent falls in older adults are therefore crucial and timely. The prevalence and impact of falls are likely to carry on increasing because of the expected rise in ageing populations. Costs resulting from falls in 2009 alone ranged between 0.85 and 1.5% of the total healthcare expenditure within the United States of America and the European Union 2. This study supports the need for longitudinal studies investigating whether minimal footwear is more beneficial for fall prevention in older people than conventional footwear.įalls occur in 30–60% of older adults each year, and 10–20% of these result in injury, hospitalisation and/or death 1. Minimal shoes were more beneficial for mobility than conventional shoes and barefoot. Participants were more stable during standing and walking in minimal shoes than in conventional shoes, independent of visual or walking condition. The outcomes were: (1) postural stability (movement of the center of pressure during eyes open/closed), (2) walking stability (Margin of Stability during normal/dual-task walking), (3) mobility (the Timed Up and Go test and the Star Excursion Balance test), and (4) perceptions of the shoes (Monitor Orthopaedic Shoes questionnaire). conventional shoes, minimal shoes, and barefoot. Thirty participants performed standing and walking trials in three footwear conditions, i.e. Given that shoes affect human locomotor stability and that visual, cognitive and somatosensory systems deteriorate during aging, we aimed to: (1) compare the effects of footwear type on stability and mobility in persons with a history of falls, and (2) determine whether the effect of footwear type on stability is altered by the absence of visual input or by an additional cognitive load. Postural and walking instabilities contribute to falls in older adults.

Minimal shoes new balance