Footwear, falls and older adults

Falls have a profound effect on the quality of life of older adults. As the population ages, falls are an increasing financial burden for health services worldwide. Footwear styles and particular footwear features have been implicated as a risk for falls. When recommending footwear for falls, health practitioners rely on guidelines that are based on the available evidence. There is limited robust evidence supporting footwear recommendations in falls prevention. This thesis reviewed the available evidence on footwear styles and features and provided evidence in regard to particular footwear styles commonly worn by older adults and their effect on gait parameters.