Footwear and fall risk
Also called: safe shoes for balance, non-slip footwear
What it means
Footwear and fall risk refers to how the shoes you wear affect your chances of tripping or slipping. Supportive, non-slip shoes with good fit help keep you steady on your feet.
Falls are a major cause of fractures in people with weaker bones, so safer footwear is an easy way to help protect yourself.
The wrong shoes can turn a small stumble into a serious fall. Floppy slippers, worn-out soles, high heels, or shoes that slip on hard floors all change how well you sense the ground under your feet. Over time, that loss of feedback makes it harder for your brain to make quick corrections when you trip or lose balance.
Good footwear for balance usually means a low, broad heel, a firm sole with grip, a snug fit that doesn't slide, and support around the ankle. Going barefoot or in socks on stairs or slick floors is a common, often overlooked, fall trigger at home.
This matters because falls are a leading cause of fragility fractures, especially at the hip, wrist, and spine, in people with lower bone density. Choosing safer shoes is a simple, low-cost step that works alongside balance training and home safety changes to lower fall risk overall.
Supportive, non-slip shoes help keep you steady, making safer footwear an easy way to lower fracture risk from falls.
Where this leads
WordGood shoes help you stay steady at home. Curious what else in your living space could be a hidden fall hazard.
Related words
Fall risk is how likely you are to fall, and it matters because falling—not just weak bones—is the most common cause…
Balance training is practice that improves your stability and coordination so you're less likely to fall — and falls…
Fear of falling is ongoing worry or anxiety about losing your balance and falling, which can make people limit their…
A home safety assessment is a check of your living space to spot and fix fall hazards, like loose rugs, poor…
Vision and fall risk describes how poor eyesight, like cataracts or an outdated glasses prescription, makes falls…
A hip protector is a padded pad or shield worn in special underwear over the hip bone to cushion a fall and help…
Education only, not medical advice. Decisions about tests, medications and treatment belong with your own doctor. OsteoStrong does not diagnose, treat or cure any disease.
