title: Effect of footwear on minimum foot clearance, heel slippage and spatiotemporal measures of gait in older women.
abstract: Footwear has been implicated as a factor in falls, which is a major issue affecting the health of older adults. This study investigated the effect of footwear with dorsal fixation, slippers and bare feet on minimum foot clearance, heel slippage and spatiotemporal variables of gait in community dwelling older women. Thirty women participated (mean age (SD) 69.1 (5.1) years) in a gait assessment using the GaitRITE and Vicon 612 motion analysis system. Conditions included footwear with dorsal fixation, slippers or bare feet. Footwear with dorsal fixation resulted in improved minimum foot clearance compared to the slippers and bare feet conditions and less heel slippage than slippers and an increase in double support. These features lend weight to the argument that older women should be supported to make footwear choices with optimal fitting features including dorsal fixation. Recommendations of particular styles and features of footwear may assist during falls prevention education to reduce the incidence of foot trips and falls.
authors.affiliation: Monash Health, Podiatry Department, Kingston Centre, 400 Warrigal Road, Cheltenham, VIC 3192, Australia; Monash University, Physiotherapy Department, Clayton Campus, Clayton, VIC 3168, Australia; Monash Health, Allied Health Clinical Research Unit, Kingston Centre, 400 Warrigal Road, Cheltenham, VIC 3192, Australia. Electronic address: Annette.davis@monashhealth.org.
authors.forename: Annette M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research Centre for Movement Disorders and Gait, Kingston Centre, 400 Warrigal Road, Cheltenham, VIC 3192, Australia; Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University Institute for Ageing, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE4 5PL United Kingdom. Electronic address: brook.galna@newcastle.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Brook
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Galna
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research Centre for Movement Disorders and Gait, Kingston Centre, 400 Warrigal Road, Cheltenham, VIC 3192, Australia. Electronic address: Annat.Murphy@monashhealth.org.
authors.forename: Anna T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.affiliation: Monash University, Physiotherapy Department, Clayton Campus, Clayton, VIC 3168, Australia; Monash Health, Allied Health Clinical Research Unit, Kingston Centre, 400 Warrigal Road, Cheltenham, VIC 3192, Australia. Electronic address: Cylie.williams@monash.edu.
authors.forename: Cylie M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.affiliation: Monash University, Physiotherapy Department, Clayton Campus, Clayton, VIC 3168, Australia; Monash Health, Allied Health Clinical Research Unit, Kingston Centre, 400 Warrigal Road, Cheltenham, VIC 3192, Australia. Electronic address: Terrence.haines@monash.edu.
authors.forename: Terry P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Haines
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005528:Foot / Q000502:physiology*; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012775:Shoes; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology
keywords: Falls; Footwear; Older; Tripping; Women