Removing shoes at home increases risk of falls

It feels good to take your shoes off when you relax at home, but for older folks it could increase the chances of a deadly fall.

A study by Hebrew SeniorLife Institute for Aging Research asked 700 people over the age of 70 to keep a diary on some daily events and to write down what they were doing if they fell. Of those who suffered a fall, 52 percent said they were either barefoot, in socks or in slippers. Significantly, those who fell while not wearing shoes suffered more serious injuries than those who fell while wearing shoes. Hebrew SeniorLife Institute is affiliated with Harvard Medical School, and the study was published in the scientific journal Footwear Science.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that about one-third of seniors over 65 suffers a fall each year.