Efficacy of a multifaceted podiatry intervention to improve balance and prevent falls in older people: study protocol for a randomised trial
2008
Podiatry Intervention to Prevent Falls in Older People
Sample size: 300
publication
Evidence: moderate
Author Information
Author(s): Martin J Spink, Hylton B Menz, Stephen R Lord
Primary Institution: La Trobe University
Hypothesis
Does a multifaceted podiatry intervention reduce falls and improve balance in older people?
Conclusion
The study aims to evaluate whether a podiatry intervention can effectively reduce falls and improve balance in older adults.
Supporting Evidence
- Falls in older people are a major public health problem, with at least one in three people aged over 65 years falling each year.
- Foot problems affect one in three community-dwelling people over the age of 65 years and are associated with reduced walking speed.
- Previous studies have shown that appropriate footwear may reduce the risk of falls.
Takeaway
This study is trying to see if helping older people with their foot problems can stop them from falling down.
Methodology
A parallel-group randomised trial with a one-year follow-up involving 300 community-dwelling older adults with foot pain.
Limitations
The study may face challenges in participant adherence to the intervention.
Participant Demographics
Community-dwelling men and women aged 65 years and over with foot pain.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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