Study: Keep Your Shoes On

It's not as comfy as lounging in slippers or socks, but a new study has found that seniors who wear shoes, especially sneakers, around their homes are less likely to fall.

The study, performed at Boston's Institute for Aging Research, Hebrew SeniorLife, found that people who wear shoes on a regular basis at home are far less likely to fall than people who wore slippers, socks or went barefoot. During the study, researchers followed 765 people between the ages of 64 and 97 for more than two years. Falls took place all over the house, including the bathroom, stairs, kitchen and living room, not just in wet or slippery areas.

The researchers pointed out that the traction and ankle support of sneakers help account for the reduction in falls. Sneakers are also ideal for fall prevention because more of the shoe has contact with the ground, which in turn provides more information to the brain to allow for better balance.

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