Foot shape of older people: implications for shoe design

Foot problems and deformities, which are highly prevalent in older people, may affect foot anthropometrics and result in older people having difficulty finding shoes that fit. This study aimed to characterise the dimensions and shape of the feet of older people and to determine whether foot anthropometrics were influenced by gender and/or the presence of foot problems in older people. Foot anthropometrics and foot problems were assessed in 312 community-dwelling older men and women. Men had significantly higher normalised first and fifth toe heights and a greater fifth toe angle, whereas women had a significantly longer normalised medial ball length and greater first toe and heel bone angles (p < 0.05). Older people who had moderate-to-severe hallux valgus, lesser toe deformities, swollen or flat feet exhibited different foot anthropometrics to those without foot problems. Consequently, footwear for older people should be designed to cater for the altered morphology of older feet.

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