Whilst it’s tempting to kick off your wide fitting footwear when you get home after a busy day, there are lots of good reasons for wearing shoes around the home. However, it’s important that you wear correctly fitting footwear that is stable and supportive to avoid slips, trips or falls.
A study published in the British Medical Journal found that every year in the UK, about one-third of people aged over 65 will fall. This rises to almost half of people aged 80 and above. Falls account for over 4 million hospital bed days a year in England alone and destroy confidence, increase isolation and reduce independence.
The study found that a multi-faceted foot care programme can reduce the number of falls by 36%. It stated that foot and ankle exercises, foot orthoses and particularly, wearing appropriate footwear are all key to preventing falls.
According to Age Concern, wearing loose, worn or backless slippers is one of the most common causes of older people falling in the home. They advocate wearing supportive house shoes with a high back collar to support the ankle, a slip-resistant sole and a heel height lower than one inch. They also recommend that you avoid wearing just socks or tights as laminate and ceramic floors can be slippery and increase the risk of falling.
House shoes may look and feel like slippers and are often made from soft, plush fabrics, but they are designed in the style of a shoe to give comfort and, most importantly, added support. A house shoe with a touch-fastening strap may be useful as it can be adjusted to fit your feet. This is particularly helpful if your feet tend to swell during the day.
Amelia from Cosyfeet has touch-fastening straps which can be adjusted for a flexible fit
It’s important to ensure that house shoes feature a back stiffener built into the back panel for added stability and support. Without a stiffener, the shoe fabric can crumple and fold.
Skye from Cosyfeet has stiffeners in the heel area for a comfortable & secure fit