Background: Wearing inappropriate shoes is one of the external factors that can lead to falling, which is a significant problem for older adults. Therefore, it is crucial to consider anti-slip soles when selecting footwear to maintain balance and reduce the risk of falls. Methods: In this study, 32 aged women from Farzanegan Daily Caring Foundation in Shiraz, Southern Iran, were selected. The subjects completed demographic, FoF, BBS, and TUG scales. They were divided into four groups and each group was assigned one sole and one group was selected as control. After 3 months, the soles were evaluated. Results: The results of balance tests and comparison before and after intervention showed a significant difference between anti-slip soles and normal soles (p ≤ .05). The anti-slip soles had a significant impact on maintaining balance, reducing the frequency of falls, decreasing the fear of falling, and improving the walking ability of older adults. Conclusions: It is recommended that older individuals use shoes with non-slip soles instead of normal soles to decrease the risk of balance loss and ultimately reduce the frequency of falls.
Keywords: Berg Balance Scale; balance; fall; fear of falling; non-slip insole; older people.
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