Effects of footwear on gait and balance in people recovering from stroke

Effects of Indoor Footwear on Balance and Gait Patterns in Community-Dwelling Older Women

“…Taken together, these find- ings suggest that enclosed slippers may be the most appropriate indoor footwear for older women with an increased risk of falling. The detrimental effect of backless slippers observed in our study is consistent with results by Cho and Lee [33] , who reported that postural sway in older stroke patients was increased when wearing backless slippers or flat shoes compared to being barefoot or wearing high-heel collar shoes, and Ng et al [10] , who found that older stroke patients walked more slowly when wearing slippers compared to walking shoes. These findings are also consistent with previous studies which have identified slippers as a risk factor for falls [12,13] and fall-related injury [14][15][16][17] in older people.…”

“…Secondly, indoor footwear tends to be less supportive than outdoor footwear, is infrequently replaced, and is selected primarily for comfort [8] . The most frequently worn indoor footwear is slippers, which often comprise design features considered detrimental to balance, including lack of fixation, thick, soft midsoles, and smooth outsoles [8][9][10][11] . Indeed, several studies have shown that wearing slippers is a risk factor for falls [12,13] and fall-related injury [14][15][16][17] in older people.…”

Changes in Postural Sway According to Footwear Types of Hemiparetic Stroke Patients

“…Despite many studies having demonstrated the effects of footwear on postural control of the elderly6, 7 ) , there are still no guidelines for stroke patients with regard to optimal shoe features for postural control. Stroke patients usually have more difficulty than elderly people with postural control when maintaining balance 8, 9. ) …”

Foot and ankle impairments affect balance and mobility in stroke (FAiMiS): the views and experiences of people with stroke

“…Feelings regarding footwear and the use of an AFO tended to be stronger in the female participants who reported feeling self-conscious because of both the appearance of the AFO and the resultant loss of footwear choice because of the need to accommodate an AFO. The impact of footwear or lack of footwear choice has been established in other non-stroke populations [54] yet despite its importance, footwear advice following stroke is minimal [55]. All of these factors contributed to people feeling self-conscious about their physical appearance which has shown to be a strong predictor of general self-esteem [56].…”

“…Podiatry services or podiatrists are not considered part of the core multidisciplinary team in the current stroke guidelines [59]. This may offer some explanation as to why, despite its potential importance to people with stroke, few receive advice about foot care or footwear [55]. Only one participant had trialled functional electrical stimulation (FES) for foot drop suggesting its use may be underutilised, despite recommendations [59] and stroke survivors reporting an overall preference for FES over AFO's [61].…”