Effectiveness of a heel cup with an arch support insole on the standing balance of the elderly

Background: The use of insoles may enhance postural stability and prevent falls. The aim of this study was to design a new insole and to explore the effectiveness of the insole on the standing balance of the healthy elderly. Methods: The study was conducted at a community hospital. Patients older than 65 years at an outpatient clinic without abnormal gait patterns, lower limb deformities, or foot pain were enrolled. The participants were assigned to good-and poor-stability groups on the basis of the stability index (SI), using the Biodex (R) Balance System. A heel cup with an arch support insole was provided. Participants wore the insole for 8 weeks for a minimum of 4 hours/day. A static balance test for SI was performed at the initial meeting and 8 weeks after the assigned insoles were worn for each participant. Results: Five participants (10.0%) of 50 total did not finish the study. There were 25 patients in the good-stability group and 20 in the poor-stability group. The SI, before and after intervention, was significantly different for all 45 participants (3.244 +/- 0.688 versus 3.064 +/- 0.671; P<0.001). The differences in SI before and after the intervention both in the good-stability group (2.764 +/- 0.546 versus 2.592 +/- 0.538) and the poor-stability group (3.845 +/- 0.188 versus 3.655 +/- 0.128) were statistically significant (P<0.001). No statistically significant difference on changes of SI were seen between the two groups. Conclusion: The results suggest a heel cup with arch support insole is effective in enhancing the standing balance of the elderly. This may be of benefit in preventing falls.