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

RESUMO

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, 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.