Are Your Slippers Posing A Risk To Your Health?
One of the biggest causes of injury and death among elderly people are slips, trips and falls – and our risk of falling grows as we get older, leading to potential consequences including hip fractures, pain, loss of confidence, surgery, distress and so on.
As such, reducing the risk of falls taking place in the home will be paramount over the years, including everything from installing anti-slip mats and walk-in showers in the bathroom to bringing in grab rails throughout the house, ensuring that carpets and rugs are firmly fitted to the floor, keeping living spaces free from clutter and so on.
Home assessments can be useful if you’re unsure as to what poses specific risks, with a healthcare professional visiting the house to review it and make recommended modifications.
Making sure you get regular exercise and prioritise balance, gait and functional training can make a huge difference when it comes to fall prevention, as well.
However, one little change that you could introduce immediately and which would afford you greater protection against falling is not wearing slippers when at home.
What’s the problem with slippers?
As cosy and comfortable as slippers may well be, they can cause all sorts of problems and can increase your chances of having a fall.
Slippers are naturally loose-fitting and, as such, they can come off quite easily or get caught on something on the floor, which can result in you tripping and losing your balance. This can lead to serious injury, if you’re not careful.
You’re also not afforded much in the way of arch support when you wear slippers and this can cause problems for your feet, including the likes of plantar fasciitis and heel spurs. Sore and fatigued feet can mean you’re more at risk of slipping and having a fall.
Balance is also something that can be affected by wearing slippers more often than not. You need to work all the little muscles in your feet in order to maintain strength and balance, but if you don’t wear shoes that give you the proper support, your general stability will likely be affected.
Free slipper exchanges
To help reduce the risk of trips and falls, many places around the UK offer free slipper exchanges, where you can take your old worn-out pairs and get a brand-new pair for free.
While wearing other forms of shoe can afford you the best protection against falling, slippers are successful at keeping your feet warm and snug – but it’s vital that they’re kept in good condition to ensure that you can stay safe while standing up and moving around.
Wearing worn-out slippers or padding about in socks can significantly increase your risk of slips, trips and falls, so if you are wedded to your slippers finding a free exchange programme in your local area could be a wise move.
