ReviewHealth science reports2026
"Foot and Ankle Risk Factors for Future Falls in Older Adults: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies".
Review in Health science reports, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: Falls represent a major cause of morbidity and healthcare costs in older adults. Previous systematic reviews have identified certain foot and ankle problems as potential fall risk factors in older adults, but evidence has been predominantly cross-sectional, limiting causal inference. This review evaluates which foot and ankle problems are prospectively associated with falls in older adults across various settings. Methods: Six electronic databases were searched from inception to October 2025. Prospective cohort studies on foot and ankle problems and fall risk in adults aged ≥ 60 years were included. Reviewers screened for eligibility, extracted data of included articles and assessed methodological quality using the National Institute of Health (NIH) tool. Meta-analyses were conducted using random-effects models when appropriate. Narrative synthesis was used when pooling was not feasible. Results: A total of 2,189 unique articles were screened, and 14 studies met the eligibility criteria. Meta-analyses showed significant associations between increased fall risk and foot pain (pooled OR = 1.99; 95% CI: 1.38-2.88), impaired sensory function (pooled OR = 1.52; 95% CI: 1.37-1.68) and intrinsic foot muscle weakness (hallux plantarflexor: pooled OR = 1.65; 95% CI: 1.14-2.38) (lesser toes plantarflexor: pooled OR = 2.04; 95% CI: 1.43-2.92). Findings for deformities, ankle range of motion, lesions, posture and general foot problems were inconsistent or based on limited data. The methodological quality of the included studies was variable, and a common limitation was the lack of adjustment for confounders. Conclusions: Foot pain, impaired sensory function and intrinsic foot muscle weakness are associated with an increased fall risk in older adults. These findings reinforce the importance of including foot health assessment within fall prevention strategies. Future research should focus on developing and validating screening tools for foot-related risk factors to help clinicians identify what to assess and guide targeted interventions.
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Registered trials
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