None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
The primary objective of this project is to determine if balance-enhancing shoes are more acceptable than minimalist shoes in older women. The secondary objective is to determine if balance-enhancing shoes are more effective at improving balance performance and perceived risk of falls than minimalist shoes in older women. This study will utilise a randomised crossover study design. Participants will be women aged 65 years or older who are free from any conditions which may negatively impact their balance or ability to walk independently. Participants will be randomly allocated to two shoe conditions and will be required to wear the shoes from each condition for six weeks before crossing over to the alternate condition. Participants will attend the university for assessments over four sessions. We hypothesize that participants will find the balance-enhancing indoor shoes more acceptable than the minimalist indoor shoes
Interventions
This is a crossover trial where participants will receive each intervention. The initial appointment and subsequent appointments will be 2 hours in duration.
There is no wash-out period between treatments.
Balance-enhancing indoor shoes:
The balance-enhancing indoor shoes include features to improve balance performance such as: (i) adequate fixation and (ii) textured insoles. Participants will be provided appropriately sized balance-enhancing indoor shoes by a registered podiatrist during an
This is a crossover trial where participants will receive each intervention. The initial appointment and subsequent appointments will be 2 hours in duration. There is no wash-out period between treatments. Balance-enhancing indoor shoes: The balance-enhancing indoor shoes include features to improve balance performance such as: (i) adequate fixation and (ii) textured insoles. Participants will be provided appropriately sized balance-enhancing indoor shoes by a registered podiatrist during an appointment in the Podiatry Clinic Research Room at La Trobe University, Melbourne (Bundoora) campus. Participants will be asked to wear the provided balance-enhancing indoor shoes as much as possible when indoors for a six-week period. Adherence will be measured by an orthotimer® sensor. These sensors will be embedded into the sockliner of the balance-enhancing indoor shoes prior to participants receiving them. The orthotimer® sensors are small enough that when placed strategically into the shoes sockliner, they will be imperceptible.
Sponsors
La Trobe University
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Crossover
Primary purpose
Prevention
Masking
Open (masking not used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
65 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
- Identify as a woman - Aged 65 years or older - Able to walk household distances (more than 50 metres) without the use of a walking aid - Free of any disease or condition which interferes with balance or walking (e.g. Parkinson's disease) - Free of any surgery to the foot or ankle in the past 12 months - Located in metropolitan Melbourne
Exclusion criteria
- Have a current or history of plantar ulcer - Have a major foot deformity (e.g. Chorcot foot) - Amputation of the lower extremity including minor amputation - Shoe sizes smaller than a size 5 (AU) or greater than size 11 (AU)
Outcome results
None listed