EFFECT OF DIFFERENT FOOTWEAR TYPES AND SLEEPING DURATION ON FALL RISK AND POSTURAL STABILITY IN YOUNG ADULTS

Abstract

Mohamed Mohamed Ibrahim Salem, Gihan S. Mousa, Abrar Abdulrahim Aldowiri, Lama Mohammed Faden, Leen Salah Ashgar, Lina Assim Alduais, Leen Mater Alsaedi, Ali A. El-Monsif Thabet, Kadrya H. Battecha and Anwar A. Ebid

Purpose: To assess the impact of different footwear and sleeping duration on postural stability and fall risk in young, healthy people.

Methods: Forty-eight participants (n = 44 females, 4 males) from Umm Al-Qura University students aged 20-30 years without lower extremity injury were tested for postural stability and fall risk tests under three footwear

Conditions: barefoot, wearing Saudi western sandals (Sharqi) for males and slippers for females, and wearing various types of socks on the Biodex Stability System™. Three trials of 20 seconds for each footwear type were completed.

Results: There were a statistically significant differences (P < 0.05) in the postural stability for barefoot and each of the following tests, thick socks (P=0.002), Slipper (P=0.000), and non-slip silicone socks (P=0.000). However, there were no significant differences in the postural stability between other types of footwear. There were statistically significant difference for the fall risk between barefoot and non-slip silicone socks (P=0.016) and no significant differences with other footwear. The results indicated no significant differences between Postural Stability or Fall risk for three sleep hours conditions.

Conclusion: Wearing specially designed footwear types improved balance, potentially reducing fall risk. However, sleep duration didn’t significantly affect postural stability or fall risk.