Independent factors associated with wearing different types of outdoor footwear in a representative inpatient population: a cross‐sectional study

Abstract

BackgroundFootwear can have both a positive and negative impact on lower limb health and mobility across the lifespan, influencing the risk of foot pain, ulceration, and falls in those at risk. Choice of footwear can be influenced by disease as well as sociocultural factors, yet few studies have investigated the types of footwear people wear and the profiles of those who wear them. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and factors associated with outdoor footwear type worn most often in a representative inpatient population.MethodsThis study was a secondary data analysis of a cohort of 733 inpatients that is highly representative of developed nations’ hospitalised populations; 62 ± 19 years, 55.8% male, and 23.5% diabetes. Socio-demographic, medical history, peripheral arterial disease, peripheral neuropathy, foot deformity, foot ulcer history, amputation history and past foot treatment variables were collected. Participants selected the footwear type they mostly wore outside the house in the previous year from 16 types of footwear. Multivariate logistic regression identified independent factors associated with outdoor footwear types selected.ResultsThe most common outdoor footwear types were: running shoes (20%), thongs/flip flops (14%), walking shoes (14%), sandals (13%) and boots (11%). Several socio-demographic, medical history and foot-related factors were independently associated (Odds Ratio; 95% Confidence Interval)) with different types of footwear. Running shoes were associated with male sex (2.7; 1.8–4.1); thongs with younger age (0.95 for each year; 0.94–0.97), being female (2.0; 1.2–3.1) and socio-economic status (3.1; 1.2–7.6); walking shoes with arthritis (1.9; 1.2–3.0); sandals with female sex (3.8; 2.3–6.2); boots with male sex (9.7; 4.3–21.6) and inner regional (2.6; 1.3–5.1) and remote (3.4; 1.2–9.5) residence (all, p < 0.05).ConclusionsWe profiled the types of outdoor footwear worn most in a large diverse inpatient population and the factors associated with wearing them. Sex was the most consistent factor associated with outdoor footwear type. Females were more likely to wear thongs and sandals and males boots and running shoes. Overall, this data gives insights into the socio-demographic, medical and other health factors that are related to footwear choice in a large diverse population primarily of older age.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s13047-018-0260-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Guidelines on the prevention of foot ulcers in persons with diabetes (IWGDF 2019 update)

“…Patients might prefer not to adhere to this recommendation, especially inside their house . However, given the harms of walking unprotected outweigh patient preferences, we strongly recommend to instruct at‐risk patients with diabetes not to walk barefoot, in socks, or in thin‐soled standard slippers, whether at home or when outside.…”

Knee-High Devices Are Gold in Closing the Foot Ulcer Gap: A Review of Offloading Treatments to Heal Diabetic Foot Ulcers

“…Therapeutic footwear is defined as footwear designed to have a therapeutic effect that cannot be provided by conventional footwear and typically contains the offloading mechanical features of customized insoles and/or rocker-bottom soles [ 11 , 44 , 45 ], such as custom-made footwear, customized footwear, and prefabricated extra-depth footwear [ 11 , 44 , 45 ]. Conventional footwear is defined as off-the-shelf footwear with no specific intended therapeutic effect and no specific offloading mechanical features, such as walking shoes, running shoes, oxford shoes, sandals, and slippers [ 11 , 44 , 45 , 89 , 90 ]. Felted foam is typically made from either a combined felt and foam material, or from felt alone, that has different densities and an adherent backing that enables it to be cut, contoured, and fixed to the foot or the insole of an offloading device or footwear [ 11 , 44 , 45 ].…”

Avaliação fisioterapêutica dos pés e do grau de risco de desenvolvimento de ulcerações em indiví­duos diabéticos fisicamente ativos

“…Os fatores mais importantes relacionados com o desenvolvimento destas úlceras são: neuropatia periférica, deformidades, doença vascular periférica e traumas no pé. A localização e o tipo de lesão nos pés estão associados com diferentes regiões do mundo devido às diferenças sociais e econômicas, padrões de cuidados com os pés e a qualidade do calçado [6].…”