The evaluation of walking footwear on postural stability in healthy older adults: an exploratory study

Abstract

Background: It has been proposed that walking footwear enhances postural stability in healthy older adults. The aim of the study is to evaluate differences between two different types of athletic footwear in relation to postural stability in healthy older adults.

Methods: A convenience sample of 21 healthy older adults with mean (SD) of 74 (5) years was recruited. Postural stability was measured using a force plate for anterior-posterior (AP) and mediolateral (ML) centre of pressure excursion for 30s with eyes closed and open using two different types of athletic footwear. Each participant performed three repetitions of bipedal standing. Two-way analysis of variance tested the interaction effect of the footwear and eye conditions on anterior-posterior (AP) and mediolateral (ML) postural sway.

Findings: There was no significant footwear-eye condition interaction for anterior-posterior(AP) postural sway but there were significant main effects for both the footwear and eye conditions (P<0.05). The significant main effects for the footwear conditions occurred between barefeet and the two shoe conditions, but not between the two shoe conditions. For mediolateral (ML) postural sway there was no significant interaction effect and no main effects for the footwear and eye conditions (P>0.05).

Interpretation: The results suggest that older adults demonstrate an initial destabilisation effect which could possibly be of benefit to functional ability but the long-term effects of ability of athletic footwear to enhance postural stability requires further investigation.