• Markus Hübscher, Christian Thiel, Jens Schmidt, Matthias Bach, Winfried Banzer, and Lutz Vogt.
• Department of Sports Medicine, Goethe University Frankfurt, Ginnheimer Landstraße 39, 60487 Frankfurt/Main, Germany. m.huebscher@sport.uni-frankfurt.de
• Gait Posture. 2011 Apr 1; 33 (4): 740-2.

AbstractThe present study investigated the relative slip resistance of commercially available non-slip socks during gait. Twenty-four healthy subjects (29.3±10.4 years) participated in the study. Each subject completed 4 different test conditions (barefoot, non-slip socks, conventional socks, backless slippers) in a randomized, balanced order. The slip resistance was estimated by measuring the heel deceleration time using a heel-mounted accelerometer. Repeated measures ANOVA and post hoc paired-sample t-test with Bonferroni correction were used for statistical analysis. Compared to barefoot walking absolute deceleration times [ms] were significantly increased when wearing conventional socks or slippers. No significant differences were observed between the barefoot and non-slip socks conditions. The present study shows that non-slip socks improved slip-resistance during gait when compared to conventional socks and slippers. Future investigations should verify the present findings in hospital populations prone to slip-related falls.Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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