Can Your Shoes Affect Your Balance? What a Year-Long Study Found
Try this: stand on one foot. Now close your eyes and start counting.
If you started wobbling before you hit 10, you're not alone. It doesn’t matter whether you're 35 or 75, balance is one of those skills you don't think about until it slips.
The good news: it's trainable at any age, and a 2025 randomized control trial published in Gerontology suggests something as simple as your shoes may play a bigger role than most of us realized.
Why Does Balance Matter At Every Age?
Balance is one of the ways your body’s systems work together. Every time you stand, walk or change direction, your brain blends three streams of information: what your eyes see, what your inner ear senses, and what your feet and joints report about where you are in space (that’s proprioception). Your body makes constant, tiny corrections to keep you upright.
When balance starts to slip, it's often an early sign that one of those systems is getting less practice. Balance is a use-it-or-lose-it skill, so the habits you build in your 30s and 40s are the ones you'll be standing on later.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, falls remain one of the leading causes of injury and death in older adults (ages 65+).
A 2022 study in British Journal of Sports Medicine suggests that older adults (ages 51-75) who struggled to stand on one leg for 10 seconds had nearly twice the risk of premature death than people who reached the 10-second mark.
How Do Your Feet Affect Your Balance?
Your feet are the only part of your body actually touching the ground. Each foot is estimated to have more than 200,000 nerve endings, so direct contact with the ground is the best way to take in sensory information.
To be clear, you need shoes to protect your feet. But you can pick a pair that works with your body and has as little between your feet and the ground.
2018 research published in Maturitis suggests that foot problems, such as weak foot muscles, foot pain, pronation, or even hammer toes, could be a risk factor for falls in older adults.
What Did the Study on Minimalist Shoes Find About Balance in Older Adults?
Now back to the study: “Effects of Long-Term Minimal Footwear Use on Fall-Risk and Fall Incidence in Older Adults”. The study followed 65 older adults (65+) with established fall risk for a full year.
The results showed improvements in balance for older adults (65+) who wore minimal shoes, compared to those who simply did range-of-motion exercises.
What participants did. The footwear group wore minimal shoes (the Xero Shoes Aptos), starting with 30 minutes of walking a day, either all at once or for shorter periods. Over time they wore the shoes for more of their daily life, building up to 7 to 8 hours a day.
The control group did seated upper- and lower-body range-of-motion exercises that left out the toes, feet and ankles.
How balance was measured. Tests included sit-to-stand, one-legged balance, and standing on a firm or softer surface with eyes open or closed.
What they found. The minimal-shoe group showed significant, sustained improvements in balance at 16 weeks and again at one year. The control group showed essentially no change.
Even if you’re not an older adult or at risk with balance, the participants in the study improved their balance just by simple daily changes. You can practice balance at any age.
What Makes A Good Shoe for Balance?
The results of the study suggest that wearing minimal footwear, and slowly adapting to wear in your daily life, could improve dynamic balance. But just how do your shoes play such an important role?
The study defined minimal footwear as shoes that are thin, flexible enough to fold in half, and have a wide toe box. The authors suggest these features may give your feet a wider base, more sensory feedback, and more room for the small muscles inside your feet to do their job.
The Aptos used in the study has since been discontinued, but every pair of Xero Shoes is built around the same barefoot features:
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Flexible: Thin, flexible soles let your feet bend and feel the ground
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Wider Toe Box: A foot-shaped design gives your toes space to splay
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Zero-Drop: The shoes are flat from heel to toes
We like to think the best shoes are those that you don’t even realize you’re wearing.’
Everyday Ways to Practice Balance
Simply standing on one foot is one of the easiest ways to practice balance. It’s also another indicator of longevity, as mentioned in the earlier 2022 study in British Journal of Sports Medicine.
It’s easy to incorporate one-legged balancing into your everyday life, and it’s never too early to start.
Practice standing on one leg while:
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Brushing your teeth
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Standing in line
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Cooking dinner on the stove
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Waiting for your coffee to brew
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During a meeting or phone call
Start by standing next to a counter or wall to hold onto for added support then progress to standing without support.
Challenge yourself:
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Close your eyes
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Stand on your non-dominant foot
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Pin your arms to your sides so you don’t have counter-balance
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Don’t hop on the standing foot
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Stand on an unstable surface like a foam pad, pillow or BOSU balance trainer
Say you’re an athlete and already doing sport-specific training. Single-leg moves like split squats, step-downs and single-leg deadlifts put the same skill to work under load.
How to Start Wearing Minimal Shoes
Do what the study participants did: start small. Just walking in minimalist shoes is a good first step. The participants walked in minimalist shoes for 30 minutes daily, and slowly incorporated wearing them daily throughout the course of a year. And if you need more guidance, learn more about transitioning to barefoot shoes.
Want to strengthen your feet and discover other simple exercises that could unlock better balance? Check out these foot core exercises.
For anyone thinking seriously about longevity: the next frontier of healthy aging may not require a new supplement or biohack. It might be reconsidering something as basic as what’s on your feet.
Shoe Picks
Slip Ons:
Xero Shoes’ Most Minimal Styles:
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Genesis (5mm)
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Speed Force II (6mm)
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Cassie Knit (6.5mm)
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Z-Trek (7mm)
FAQs
Did the Gerontology study show any correlation to minimalist shoes and falls?
Falls trended in the minimal-shoe group's favor: about 77% stayed completely fall-free over the year, compared with 52% of the control group. But that difference wasn't statistically significant, so the study doesn't show whether minimal shoes affect how often people fall.
Where do I find the Xero Shoes used in the study?
Xero Shoes’ Aptos shoe was used in the study, and the shoe is discontinued. The Dillon Canvas Slip-On is a close design to the Aptos, featuring a slip-on design.
I’m young, when do I really need to start working on my balance?
Building a habit early is never a bad thing. If you’re an athlete, chances are you’re already doing balancing drills without realizing it. Incorporate one-legged balances or weight exercises into your routine to challenge yourself.
Are all zero-drop shoes minimal?
No. Zero-drop only means a shoe is flat from heel to toe, and some zero-drop shoes still have thick cushioning. The study tested minimal shoes: thin, flexible enough to fold in half, with a wide toe box. Learn more about zero-drop shoes.
Should I check with a doctor before switching?
If you have concerns about your balance or your health, talk to your doctor before changing your footwear or routine. Either way, transition gradually.
The content of this post is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified health provider with any questions or concerns you may have about your health or a medical condition.
