{"id":10075,"date":"2014-03-12T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2014-03-12T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lifeline.philips.com\/resources\/blog\/2014\/03\/non-slip-shoes-help-prevent-falls-in-and-outside-of-the-home.html"},"modified":"2023-10-19T13:30:50","modified_gmt":"2023-10-19T17:30:50","slug":"non-slip-shoes-help-prevent-falls-in-and-outside-of-the-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/blog\/non-slip-shoes-help-prevent-falls-in-and-outside-of-the-home\/","title":{"rendered":"Non-slip Shoes Help Prevent Falls In and Outside of the Home"},"content":{"rendered":"

One of the biggest dangers and causes of injury for our seniors is slipping and falling. Brittle bones and weakened muscles<\/a> make them very vulnerable. A great way to help prevent falls is proper footwear. There comes a time when we need supportive shoes. Our arches fall, our feet swell, and we may be less steady on our feet. Even small falls can cause big injuries.<\/a><\/p>\n

We\u2019ve all heard that \u201csensible shoes\u201d help prevent falls<\/a>. But what\u00a0are<\/i>\u00a0sensible shoes? Surprisingly, they\u2019re not necessarily sneakers. It turns out that, for seniors, the thick and clunky soles of athletic shoes can cause them to trip and fall more often, especially on carpet. The safe choice is a modest non-slip shoe.<\/p>\n

Many podiatrists and orthopedists agree that the safest shoes have a heel that isn\u2019t too high and that has some type of fastener, such as laces or buckles. The best variety of non-slip shoes are actually walking shoes, says Dr. Carol Frey<\/a>, director of the Foot and Ankle Center at the Orthopedic Center in Los Angeles. Unlike running shoes or other types of athletic shoes, walking shoes are ideal because they provide traction but don\u2019t have the heavy soles that many types of athletic shoes have. They also have more flexibility in the ball of the foot and better arch support.<\/p>\n

Podiatrist-Recommended Brands<\/h2>\n

Dr. Cary Zinkin,\u00a0spokesperson for the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA), recommends the following brands of walking shoes:<\/p>\n