Effects of foot care interventions to improve toe-grip strength of the elderly requiring care: Evaluation using a randomized controlled trial

Abstract

[Purpose] This study aimed to conduct foot care and toe-grip exercise interventions for the elderly requiring care, and evaluate the effects using a randomized controlled trial. [Methods] The subjects were 52 female elderly requiring nursing care, and they were stratified by age and randomly assigned to the following three groups: foot care and toe-grip exercise intervention group (18 subjects), toe-grip exercise intervention group (17 subjects), and a control group (17 subjects). The interventions were conducted twice a week for 12 weeks. The toe-grip strength, foot flexibility, Functional Reach Test (FRT), walking speed, body sway, grip strength of the hand, and quadriceps strength were measured before and after the intervention. [Results] As the results of a two-way ANOVA, the toe-grip strength, foot flexibility, FRT, and walking speed of the foot care and toe-grip exercise intervention group were significantly improved compared to the toegrip exercise intervention and control groups. The toe-grip exercise intervention group also showed a significant improvement in the toe-grip strength, FRT, and walking speed compared to the control group. [Conclusion] Combined intervention of foot care and toegrip exercise was more effective than conducting exercise intervention alone in improving foot flexibility, the toe-grip strength, dynamic standing balance, and walking speed.