Foot-health program with minimalist shoes to help reduce falls in older nursing-home residents
Évaluation d'un Programme de santé du Pied Incorporant Des Chaussures Minimalistes Sur Les Facteurs de Risque de Chute Chez Des Personnes âgées Vivant en EHPAD : Une étude Pilote
This program will try whether 12 foot-health workshops plus free minimalist shoes can improve mobility and fall risk factors in people over 65 living in nursing homes.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 50 (estimated) |
| Ages | 65 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | Centre Hospitalier Emile Roux Academic / other |
| Locations | 5 sites (Beaux and 4 other locations) |
| Trial ID | NCT06996444 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
The program enrolls nursing-home residents and delivers 12 weekly foot-health sessions divided into three phases: an initial foot preparation phase (weeks 1–3) with individual plantar massage and foot stimulation exercises, a transition phase (weeks 4–6) introducing group workshops on foot mobility, posture and walking and the provision of minimalist shoes, and a stabilization phase (weeks 7–12) continuing the workshops while participants use the shoes independently. Minimalist shoes are provided free and left with participants for use outside the sessions. Health professionals run the sessions on site in the participating nursing homes. Outcomes focus on changes in mobility and fall-risk factors over the 12-week program.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates are nursing-home residents aged 65 or older who can walk independently (with or without a cane or walker) and can provide informed consent or have a guardian who can consent for them.
Not a fit: Patients already wearing minimalist shoes, prescribed orthopedic shoes, unable to walk, or currently enrolled in another falls-prevention program are unlikely to benefit from this intervention.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could improve foot function, gait stability, and reduce fall risk among nursing-home residents.
How similar studies have performed: Some small studies of foot exercises and altered footwear have shown improvements in foot strength and balance, but evidence specifically in nursing-home populations is limited.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * People over 65 years of age * Able to walk independently with or without a walking aid (cane, walker, etc.) * Persons affiliated with a social security system or assimilated * Persons (participants, guardians, or curators where applicable) who have been informed and have given their written consent to participate in the study. Exclusion Criteria: * People who already wear minimalist shoes. * People with a contraindication to wearing minimalist shoes * People wearing orthopedic shoes prescribed by a health professional. * People taking part in a falls prevention program. * Persons unable to walk * Persons with any other contraindication at the investigator's discretion
Where this trial is running
Beaux and 4 other locations
- Ehpad les Cèdres — Beaux, France (Recruiting)
- Ehpad Paradis — Espaly-Saint-Marcel, France (Active_not_recruiting)
- Ehpad Le Vergé de Léa — Le Puy-en-Velay, France (Active_not_recruiting)
- Ehpad Nazareth — Le Puy-en-Velay, France (Recruiting)
- Ehpad Saint Joseph — Le Puy-en-Velay, France (Recruiting)
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.