08/29/2025    Herbert Abbott, DPM

Barefoot Walking at Home Increases Intrinsic Muscular Strength (Howard Dananberg, DPM, Gary S. Smith, DPM, Paul Langer, DPM)

Thank you to Drs. Dananberg and Smith for their
interesting and unique anecdotal stories.
However, I would be willing to bet for each one
of those stories, the thousands of PM News readers
could share scores, hundreds or even thousands of
examples of patients suffering from the previously
mentioned risks of barefoot walking. Again, is the
juice really worth the squeeze?

And now, Dr. Langer: You assume that just because
this disparager is “retired,” that he has not
bothered to keep up with research. Not only have
I kept up with research but I even know how to use
the Internet.

Feel free to review:

• Kelsey JL, Procter-Gray E, Nguyen U-DT, et al.
Footwear and Falls in the Home Among Older
Individuals in the MOBILIZE Boston Study. Footwear
Science. 2010. At the time of in-home falls, 51.9%
were barefoot/in socks/slippers; being shoeless or
in slippers doubled the odds of a serious injury
vs other shoes (adjusted OR 2.27). PubMed

• Menz HB, Morris ME, Lord SR. Footwear
characteristics and risk of indoor and outdoor
falls in older people.Gerontology. 2006.
Going barefoot or wearing socks inside the home
was strongly associated with indoor falls (OR
13.74); authors advise shoes indoors where
possible. PubMed

• Koepsell TD, Wolf ME, Buchner DM, et al.
Footwear style and risk of falls in older adults.
J Am Geriatr Soc. 2004. Being barefoot or in
stocking feet during everyday activities was
linked to a sharply increased fall risk compared
with athletic/canvas shoes (adjusted OR 11.2).
PubMed

• American Diabetes Association – Standards of
Care. Retinopathy, Neuropathy, and Foot Care.
Diabetes Care.2023/2024 supplements.
Recommends counseling on footwear at home (e.g.,
no walking barefoot) to reduce injury/ulceration
in people with diabetes/neuropathy. Diabetes
Journals+1

• Bus SA, et al. (IWGDF). Guidelines on the
prevention of foot ulcers in persons with
diabetes. Diabetes Metab Res Rev.2023/2024.
Advises people at risk not to walk barefoot
(indoors or outdoors) and to wear protective
footwear at all times. Wiley Online LibraryIWGDF
Guidelines

• Kim IJ, Hegazy F. Enhancing Footwear Safety for
Fall Prevention in Older Adults: A Comprehensive
Review of Design Features. Ann Geriatr Med Res.
2024.Summarizes evidence that
slippers/unsupportive, poorly fixed footwear (and
going barefoot) impair stability and are linked
with higher fall/injury risk; recommends well-
fitted, enclosed shoes indoors.

• Footwear and Falls in Long Term Residential Aged
Care, 2024 Observational research in aged-care
settings noted that barefoot or socks-only walking
was common and associated with more cautious gait
patterns and increased fall incidence—again
highlighting heightened risk in indoor
environments.

It took 3 minutes to find these, but if I wasn't
late for an appointment I think I could do far
better. Truly this issue comes down to one thing,
common sense, and as podiatrists with years of
education, experience and training we know better
than to lead people in a potentially dangerous
direction.

Herbert Abbott, DPM, (retired), NY, NY

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