Foot Anatomical Structural Variations Increase the Risk of Falls

Abstract Falls are common among older adults. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the relationship between foot anatomical structural variations and balance in older adults and quantify foot posture and stabilometry as predictors of falls risk. Case-control study in older adults, classified as cases or controls according to falls in the last five years. All the subjects were healthy women and men and > 65 years old (n = 164), who were divided into two groups: 83 individuals who had suffered from a fall in the previous five years (case group) and 81 individuals who had not suffered from a fall (control group). There were found strong correlations among the variables, specifically gender, Hallux abductus valgus (HAV) and tailor’s bunion. Women have a higher probability to suffer from falls. HAV and tailor’s bunion also increased fall probability (p = .042, p = .069 respectively). Foot anatomical structural variations (HAV and tailor’s bunion) linked to gender and age, in-crease falls risk among older adults. In women fallers with HAV, there were a higher possibility of risk of falling (63.89%). In older than 70 with HAV, the percentage of falls is high (62%). Fall-ers with tailor´s bunion (60.66%) are more numerous than fallers without this pathology. Older adults with HAV and tailor´s bunion had twice probability to suffer a fall than older people without foot anatomical structural. Foot anatomical structural variations (HAV and tailor´s bunion) are risk factors of falls.