Keeping Your Feet Well Cared for is a Crucial Part of Avoiding Falls

Fall Prevention Foot Care and Shoes

By Jennifer Footit-Tank RN, BSN, quality care coordinator at Network Health 6/23/2022
Updated 3/2/2025 by Heidi G. BSN, RN, quality care coordinator at Network Health

Taking good care of your feet is always smart, but if you struggle with balance and need extra help avoiding falls, you’ll want to pay extra close attention to your foot health. Taking care of your feet and wearing safe shoes are important aspects of fall prevention.

Poorly fitting shoes or problems with your feet can cause balance issues or change the way you walk. This may lead to preventable falls that result in injury and possible hospitalization. Thankfully, giving your feet the proper care and shoes necessary to avoid such falls are easy tasks.

Daily Foot Care Routine at Home

Let’s review foot care first. Regularly taking steps to take care of your feet can help you avoid falls. There are many ways to do this, including visiting a doctor, but a simple daily routine at home can be a quick way to maintain your foot health. Here are some steps to consider.

• Sit down and look at your feet. Use a mirror if necessary to view the bottoms of your feet.
• Identify any areas that may require maintenance or healing. This may include toenails that need to be cut or calluses.
• Clip toenails using a straight-edge clipper to avoid ingrown toenails. Soak calluses in warm water, file gently with a pumice stone without removing too much skin and then moisturize the area.
• Identify any areas of pain, including bunions, sores or ulcers, which may require care from your personal doctor.

Are you experiencing pain in your feet, pins and needles in your feet or decreased sensation? If you have any of these, seeing a podiatrist (a foot doctor) or your personal doctor could help treat these symptoms. Your provider can also determine if the shoes you wear the most are causing the sores, ulcers or callouses. 

Regular Foot Exercise

Keeping good circulation to your feet is also important. Good blood flow delivers oxygen and necessary nutrients to your legs. These nutrients will promote healing and keep your feet healthy. To promote circulation to your lower extremities, do these simple exercises. When you are sitting, turn your ankles in a circle, wiggle your toes and move your feet up and down.  In addition to exercise, you can elevate your feet when sitting in a recliner to reduce swelling.

[More Lifestyle Changes That Can Improve Your Fall Prevention]

Best Shoes for Seniors to Prevent Falls

As mentioned, wearing the wrong shoes may cause sores or calluses on your feet. Improperly fitted shoes can also result in poor balance. In short, proper footwear is essential to avoiding falls.

What makes a good shoe? The best shoes for fall prevention are not necessarily any particular brand but instead have particular qualities that will help you stay upright and limit damage to your feet while you walk. Since your feet change as you age, the first step is to get your feet measured for length and width. The size you wore a few years ago may not be the correct fit for you now. Once you know your correct size, consider the factors below when picking a pair of shoes.

• Wear shoes that fit snugly. If they are too tight, they can affect circulation. Shoes that are too loose may increase your chances of a fall.
• Slippers don’t count as a good shoe. Walking around inside your home with safe shoes is just as important as outside the home. Slippers, bare feet or socks alone attribute to an increase in falls.
• Low heels are safer. A high, skinny heel can cause your gait and balance to be off center, increasing your chances of tipping sideways on an uneven. Your heel should be no higher than 1-inch. A firm, rounded, supportive heel is best.
• Tread provides grip. Leather bottoms are smooth and do not grip the floor and very thick-soled shoes decrease your ability to feel the surface you are walking on. The safest tread is a non-slip sole made from hard rubber. When you look at the tread it should look like a knobby tire.
• A well-padded tongue on your shoes protects the top of your foot from pressure caused by the laces or Velcro fastener.
• Toes need room. Your shoes should be wide enough that your toes are comfortable and not rubbing the sides of the shoe.
• Dry feet are happy feet. Feet tend to sweat during the day. Wear a sock that provides cushioning and absorption. Shoes that provide ventilation for the feet will keep them cool, dry and healthy.

[Read more: If you do fall, here’s what you can do to recover.]

By practicing proper foot care and wearing the right shoes, you can take major steps toward fall prevention. Even if your feet are healthy and in good shape, consider scheduling an annual appointment with a podiatrist or your personal doctor to get them checked. If you have a Network Health plan, don’t forget to also sign up for paperless communications to limit your trips to the mailbox in slick conditions.