Orthotics Reduce Falls in Seniors with Foot Pain

Abstract

Objective To determine the effectiveness of a multifaceted podiatry intervention in preventing falls in community dwelling older people with disabling foot pain.

Design Parallel group randomised controlled trial.

Setting University health sciences clinic in Melbourne, Australia.

Participants 305 community dwelling men and women (mean age 74 (SD 6) years) with disabling foot pain and an increased risk of falling. 153 were allocated to a multifaceted podiatry intervention and 152 to routine podiatry care, with 12 months’ follow-up.

Interventions Multifaceted podiatry intervention consisting of foot orthoses, advice on footwear, subsidy for footwear ($A100 voucher; £65; €74), a home based programme of foot and ankle exercises, a falls prevention education booklet, and routine podiatry care for 12 months. The control group received routine podiatry care for 12 months.

Main outcome measures Proportion of fallers and multiple fallers, falling rate, and injuries resulting from falls during follow-up.

"A landmark study which showed that when orthoses- Formthotics in this case- are introduced into a fall-risk vulnerable community along with exercise recommendations and "routine" podiatric care, a moderate reduction in fall risk was seen over a 12 month study period. " - Dr Bob Eckles

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