What footwear should I wear after a stroke?

After having suffered an Ictus, it is possible to present several alterations such as speech alterations, memory and attention problems, sensory and sensory changes, alteration of movement among other less common ones.
Related to the alterations of the posture and of the movement, a great alteration is in balance and march above all when the patient loses the motor control of the leg and foot (lower extremity).
From the point of physiotherapy, we know that the care of the foot is fundamental since it is the part of the body that supports the whole body, it is the body area that connects the body with the floor, in summary, it is the support surface. Sometimes, for ease and agility, caregivers, family members and the patient itself usually opt for the use of comfortable shoes such as slippers or slippers, however it is not the most recommended type of footwear. Using some type of splint in the foot or not, it is advisable to use a well-closed shoe, such as a sports shoe.
One of the most named studies on this subject reports to the year 2010 to Age and Ageing magazine. This study summarizes the information on the influence of footwear on the balance and gait of stroke patients and concludes that the use of closed shoes such as the sports shoe increases gait speed and increases the step length compared with other footwear such as flip flops, slippers or barefoot.
To make it easier for patients to put on and take off their shoes, which are often limited by the lack of skill and movement, there are several alternatives such as learning to tie the laces with one hand, using elastic laces with zippers or zippers and strong velcro. It is also important that the footwear is stable (eg, type of material) and that the sole is wide that allows freedom of movement of the toes of the foot. We understand that the selection of footwear depends on person for person and therefore it is advisable to take into account the opinion of the professional whether physiotherapist or podiatrist.


Ng H, McGinley JL, Jolley D, Morris M, Workman B, Srikanth V. Effects of footwear on gait and balance in people recovering from stroke. Age Ageing. 2010; 39(4):507-10

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