THURSDAY, Sept. 2, 2004 (HealthDay News) -- Pratfalls and tumbles may be comedy staples, but they're no laughing matter to the many older Americans who experience a fall.
More than one-third of adults over the age of 65 fall each year, making it the leading cause of injury death and the most common cause of medical treatment for this age group, according to the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control.
Now, researchers report that the choice of footwear may have an effect on whether seniors remain on their feet.
The study, reported in the September issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, found wearing sneakers to be the best choice. Those who chose footwear other than sneakers increased their odds of falling by 30 percent. Those who chose to go shoeless faced even greater risk, falling 10 times more often.
"Sneakers tend to be comfortable shoes," said Dr. Thomas D. Koepsell, professor of epidemiology at the University of Washington and lead investigator in the study. "They make people a little more sure-footed."
The study followed 1,371 adults age 65 and older from the Seattle area for a two-year period. Participants were asked to contact the researchers if they fell. Afterward, they were interviewed by field investigators about the circumstances of the fall. Participants were asked to bring the shoes they were wearing when they fell.
About 300 seniors fell during the course of the study. Most falls occurred while walking outdoors near the home.
"About a quarter of the people who fell needed medical care," said Koepsell. "The most common injuries were cuts and bruises." There were 15 fractures, including four broken hips, and 15 head injuries; no known fatalities occurred during the study.
Study participant Maryann Breskin, 81, who was wearing leather lace-up shoes when she fell off a porch, said she bruised nothing but her ego. "Other than the humiliation, I wasn't hurt," she said.
She sees great value in finding ways to reduce the risk of falling, though. "This study is really important. I have too many friends who have fallen and broken their hips," she said.
Louis Christian, 82, also a study participant, agrees. "Everyone should acknowledge how many older people get injured or die from falls," he said, adding that the research results have changed his habits.
"Before the study, I was wearing more ordinary leather shoes," he said. "Now I wear sneakers for most non-dressy occasions. They seem to have more traction."
Representatives from the American Podiatric Medical Association expressed some reservations about the study.
"One of the bigger issues is what kind of shoes the sneakers were tested against," said Arnold Ravick, a spokesman for the organization. "If you compare sneakers to loafers or slip-on shoes, that's a no-brainer. Of course, sneakers are going to reduce risk. But if you test sneakers against a comfortable walking shoe, the results might not be all that different."
Everyone agreed that the low heel, strong-grip bottom, and firm-but-flexible fit of sneakers makes them a good choice for seniors.
The study was supported by grants from the National Institute on Aging and the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control.
More information
To learn more about falls and the elderly, visit the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control.
