Effect of foot care interventions for older adults using day care services.
Kashiko Fujii
PMID 31660164WHAT IT FOUND
In 18 older adults attending day care, right toe-gap force, a toe strength measure, increased by 0.65 kg after combined medical foot care, five-toe socks and foot hygiene; control changed -0.35 kg.
Foot flexibility and left foot changes were not clear.
Key findings
01Right toe-gap force increased by 0.65 kg after combined medical foot care, five-toe socks and foot hygiene, and this change differed significantly from control (p = 0.022).
02Medical foot care alone did not translate into a change in toe-gap force, and no significant differences in foot flexibility were observed.
03Foot problems were common: hallux valgus, toe deformities, nail discoloration, nail thickness and dryness affected more than 50% of participants.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Only 18 participants were included after 60 people were approached, so the finding is unstable. The control group was selected by attendance frequency, not randomly assigned, so the groups may not have been comparable. Medical foot care, five-toe socks and foot hygiene were delivered together and not tested separately. The study did not measure walking, balance or falls, even though toe strength is linked to these in the background. No device was available to assess blood flow, a proposed mechanism for the intervention. Associations between specific foot problems and toe-gap force or foot flexibility were not analysed. Three participants dropped out and new participants were included, and the study period was extended. The foot assessment sheet was created for this study and not validated in the supplied text.
Declared interests
The author declares no conflict of interest. No funding source is reported in the supplied text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the 0.65 kg right toe-gap force increase as proof that any single foot care component works. The combined group received medical foot care, five-toe socks and foot hygiene together, and the study did not examine their separate effects. With only 18 participants and no walking or fall outcomes, this is not evidence that the intervention improves mobility.