The effects of usual footwear on balance amongst elderly women attending a day hospital.
Horgan, N Frances Crehan, Fiona Bartlett, Emma Keogan, Fiona O'Grady, Anne Marie Moore, Allan R Donegan, Ciaran F Curran, Martina
Horgan, N Frances
Crehan, Fiona
Bartlett, Emma
Keogan, Fiona
O'Grady, Anne Marie
Moore, Allan R
Donegan, Ciaran F
Curran, Martina
Advisors
Editors
Other Contributors
Date
2009-01
Date Submitted
Keywords
Other Subjects
Subject Mesh
Accidental Falls
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Cross-Over Studies
Day Care
Female
Geriatric Assessment
Humans
Middle Aged
Postural Balance
Risk Factors
Shoes
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Cross-Over Studies
Day Care
Female
Geriatric Assessment
Humans
Middle Aged
Postural Balance
Risk Factors
Shoes
Planned Date
Start Date
Collaborators
Principal Investigators
Alternative Titles
Publisher
Abstract
to examine the effects of footwear on balance in a sample of older women attending a day hospital.
this was a crossover trial with a quasi-randomised allocation.
assessments took place in the geriatric day hospital.
a cohort of 100 older women aged 60 years and over attending a day hospital.
demographic data and a brief falls history were recorded. Participant's footwear was assessed using a footwear assessment form. A Berg Balance Scale (BBS) was completed under two conditions--shoes on and shoes off with order counter-balanced.
the mean BBS was 39.07 (SD 9.14) with shoes on and 36.54 (SD 10.39) with shoes off (P < 0.0001). Balance scores were significantly higher with shoes on for 10 of the 14 Berg subcategories. Lower barefoot BBS scores were associated with a greater beneficial effect of footwear on balance (P < 0.001). Shoe characteristics were not associated with change in the BBS score.
Wearing their own footwear significantly improved participants' balance compared to being barefoot. The greatest benefit of footwear was seen in those with the poorest balance. Further studies should investigate whether particular types of footwear are associated with greater benefit.
this was a crossover trial with a quasi-randomised allocation.
assessments took place in the geriatric day hospital.
a cohort of 100 older women aged 60 years and over attending a day hospital.
demographic data and a brief falls history were recorded. Participant's footwear was assessed using a footwear assessment form. A Berg Balance Scale (BBS) was completed under two conditions--shoes on and shoes off with order counter-balanced.
the mean BBS was 39.07 (SD 9.14) with shoes on and 36.54 (SD 10.39) with shoes off (P < 0.0001). Balance scores were significantly higher with shoes on for 10 of the 14 Berg subcategories. Lower barefoot BBS scores were associated with a greater beneficial effect of footwear on balance (P < 0.001). Shoe characteristics were not associated with change in the BBS score.
Wearing their own footwear significantly improved participants' balance compared to being barefoot. The greatest benefit of footwear was seen in those with the poorest balance. Further studies should investigate whether particular types of footwear are associated with greater benefit.
Language
en
ISSN
1468-2834
eISSN
ISBN
DOI
10.1093/ageing/afn219
PMID
19001558