Interesting! Thanks Steve. All going well for your family????
Bruce
----- Original Message -----
From: "TUCKER Stephen M (SVHM)" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, October 19, 2004 9:39 PM
Subject: Footwear and falls
An interesting article on footwear and falls risk
Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
Volume 52 Issue 9 Page 1495 - September 2004
doi:10.1111/j.1532-5415.2004.52412.x Footwear Style and Risk of Falls in
Older Adults Thomas D. Koepsell, MD, MPHMarsha E. Wolf, PhDDavid M. Buchner,
MD, MPH Walter A. Kukull, PhDAndrea Z. LaCroix, PhDAllan F. Tencer, PhD Cara
L. Frankenfeld, MS Milda Tautvydas, MFA and Eric B. Larson, MD, MPH
Objectives: To determine how the risk of a fall in an older adult varies in
relation to style of footwear worn.
Design: Nested case-control study.
Setting: Group Health Cooperative, a large health maintenance organization
in Washington state.
Participants: A total of 1,371 adults aged 65 and older were monitored for
falls over a 2-year period; 327 qualifying fall cases were compared with 327
controls matched on age and sex.
Measurements: Standardized in-person examinations before fall occurrence,
interviews about fall risk factors after the fall occurred, and direct
examination of footwear were conducted. Questions for controls referred to
the last time they engaged in an activity broadly similar to what the case
was doing at the time of the fall.
Results: Athletic and canvas shoes (sneakers) were the styles of footwear
associated with lowest risk of a fall. Going barefoot or in stocking feet
was associated with sharply increased risk, even after controlling for
measures of health status (adjusted odds ratio=11.2, 95% confidence interval
(CI)=2.4-51.8). Relative to athletic/canvas shoes, other footwear was
associated with a 1.3-fold increase in the risk of a fall (95% CI=0.9-1.9),
varying somewhat by style.
Conclusion: Contrary to findings from gait-laboratory studies, athletic
shoes were associated with relatively low risk of a fall in older adults
during everyday activities. Fall risk was markedly increased when
participants were not wearing shoes.
Stephen Tucker
B.App.Sc.(Pod.), Grad.Dip.Pod, M.P.H., M.A.Pod.A.
Senior Clinician and Department Manager
Podiatry Department
St.Vincent's Hospital Melbourne
PO Box 2900
Fitzroy, 3065
Australia
Phone :613 9288 3493 Fax : 613 9288 3808
<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
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