Running Shoes Research Articles

Technologically advanced running shoes reduce oxygen cost and cumulative tibial loading per kilometer in recreational female and male runners

Technologically advanced running shoes (TARS) improve performance compared to classical running shoes (CRS). Improved race performance has been attributed to metabolic savings in male runners, but it remains unclear if these same benefits are experienced among females and in recreational runners. The mechanisms behind these benefits are still not fully understood despite the need for optimisation, and their influence on injury mechanisms has not been explored. Here we combined biomechanical, physiological, and modelling approaches to analyse joint mechanics, oxygen uptake, and tibial load in nineteen male and female recreational runners running with CRS and TARS at their individual lactate threshold speed (12.4 ± 1.9 km/h). Oxygen uptake was 3.0 ± 1.5% lower in TARS than in CRS. Ankle dorsiflexion, joint moment and joint power were reduced in TARS compared to CRS at various phases of stance including midstance, while knee joint mechanics were mostly similar throughout. There were no significant differences for tibial bending moment during the stance phase but cumulative tibial damage per kilometre was 12 ± 9% lower in TARS compared to CRS. Our results suggest that running with TARS reduces oxygen cost in recreational female and male runners, which may partly be explained by differences in lower limb joint mechanics. The lower cumulative tibial bone load with TARS may allow runners to run longer distances in this type of shoe compared to CRS.

Toe Box Shape of Running Shoes Affects In-Shoe Foot Displacement and Deformation: A Randomized Crossover Study.

Long-distance running is popular but associated with a high risk of injuries, particularly toe-related injuries. Limited research has focused on preventive measures, prompting exploration into the efficacy of raised toe box running shoes. This study aimed to investigate the effect of running shoes with raised toe boxes on preventing toe injuries caused by distance running. A randomized crossover design involved 25 male marathon runners (height: 1.70 ± 0.02 m, weight: 62.6 + 4.5 kg) wearing both raised toe box (extended by 8 mm along the vertical axis and 3 mm along the sagittal axis) and regular toe box running shoes. Ground reaction force (GRF), in-shoe displacement, and degree of toe deformation (based on the distance change between the toe and the metatarsal head) were collected. Wearing raised toe box shoes resulted in a significant reduction in vertical (p = 0.001) and antero-posterior (p = 0.015) ground reaction forces during the loading phase, with a notable increase in vertical ground reaction force during the toe-off phase (p < 0.001). In-shoe displacement showed significant decreased movement in the forefoot medial (p < 0.001) and rearfoot (medial: p < 0.001, lateral: p < 0.001) and significant increased displacement in the midfoot (medial: p = 0.002, lateral: p < 0.001). Impact severity on the hallux significantly decreased (p < 0.001), while impact on the small toes showed no significant reduction (p = 0.067). Raised toe box running shoes offer an effective means of reducing toe injuries caused by long-distance running.

A VALIDATION OF A NOVEL RUNNING ECONOMY PROTOCOL AND COMPARISON OF TWO CARBON-PLATED RUNNING SHOES IN FEMALE LONG-DISTANCE RUNNERS

INTRODUCTION Running economy (RE) is the strongest predictor of long-distance running performance in well-trained athletes (1). Carbon-plated running shoes have indicated improvements of 4% in RE when compared to previous generation non-carbon-plated running shoes (2). However, these studies have key methodological limitations; the prescribed intensities didn’t replicate race demands, the influence of fatigue was not considered, and testing was only completed on males. AIM: The primary aim of this study was to develop an appropriate protocol to measure RE in female long-distance runners. The secondary aim was to compare performance and RE of two carbon-plated performance shoes in female long-distance runners. METHODS Seven female endurance athletes (age: 30.7 ± 6.6 y, mass: 59.1 ± 5 kg, VO2max: 55.3 ± 4.1 ml/kg/min) completed a graded exercise test to establish a relative race intensity (90% of lactate threshold). Participants completed two testing sessions during the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle in alternating footwear, which consisted of four 7-minute trials, a 25-minute continuous run, four 7-minute trials, and a 13-minute distance trial. RE was recorded as the oxygen consumption and energetic cost of running from minutes 5-7 of each trial. Shoe preference was recorded midway through the first session and the end of the second session. A linear mixed model was used to compare economy and performance metrics. RESULTS There was no significant difference in RE because of fatigue and no significant difference between shoes. However, large individual variations were evident. Participants reported disagreement between preferred shoe and the shoe that demonstrated greatest RE. CONCLUSION A longer protocol that controlled for the menstrual cycle did not induce fatigue related changes in female participants, supporting a higher resistance to fatigue in females (3). The individual variation between shoes suggests that further analyses should be conducted to inform shoe selection for female long-distance runners.

Energy Consumption during the Wearing of Pantyhose

The goal of the current study was to develop pantyhose that reduce leg muscle fatigue when heeled shoes are worn. To this end, pantyhose that provide a comfortable fitting sensation were developed, and the wear experience of the pantyhose and the effect of the pantyhose on energy consumption under walking muscle activity of the lower limbs were investigated. The study participants were 17 healthy Japanese females in their twenties who did not usually put on support wear. The respiratory metabolism was measured as the participants either walked without pantyhose or wore one of two types of pantyhose and wore three types of shoe, namely running/low-heeled/high-heeled shoes. Participants walked on a treadmill at 3 km/h. Regardless of whether pantyhose were worn, the energy consumption increased significantly with walking relative to standing. During walking, energy consumption increased significantly in the order of not wearing shoes, wearing running shoes, wearing low-heeled shoes, and wearing high-heeled shoes. In other words, a higher heel height corresponded to higher energy consumption, regardless of whether pantyhose were worn. Wearing pantyhose while standing upright increased energy consumption, especially in the case of pantyhose A, for which energy consumption was significantly higher than that when going barefoot. In addition, for walking in running shoes, the energy consumption was significantly higher when pantyhose A were worn than when no pantyhose were worn. The wearing of pantyhose A, but not the wearing of pantyhose B, was thus found to increase energy consumption.

Effects of 12-week gait retraining on plantar flexion torque, architecture, and behavior of the medial gastrocnemius in vivo.

This study aims to explore the effects of 12-week gait retraining (GR) on plantar flexion torque, architecture, and behavior of the medial gastrocnemius (MG) during maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC). Thirty healthy male rearfoot strikers were randomly assigned to the GR group (n = 15) and the control (CON) group (n = 15). The GR group was instructed to wear minimalist shoes and run with a forefoot strike pattern for the 12-week GR (3 times per week), whereas the CON group wore their own running shoes and ran with their original foot strike pattern. Participants were required to share screenshots of running tracks each time to ensure training supervision. The architecture and behavior of MG, as well as ankle torque data, were collected before and after the intervention. The architecture of MG, including fascicle length (FL), pennation angle, and muscle thickness, was obtained by measuring muscle morphology at rest using an ultrasound device. Ankle torque data during plantar flexion MVIC were obtained using a dynamometer, from which peak torque and early rate of torque development (RTD50) were calculated. The fascicle behavior of MG was simultaneously captured using an ultrasound device to calculate fascicle shortening, fascicle rotation, and maximal fascicle shortening velocity (Vmax). After 12-week GR, 1) the RTD50 increased significantly in the GR group (p = 0.038), 2) normalized FL increased significantly in the GR group (p = 0.003), and 3) Vmax increased significantly in the GR group (p = 0.018). Compared to running training, GR significantly enhanced the rapid strength development capacity and contraction velocity of the MG. This indicates the potential of GR as a strategy to improve muscle function and mechanical efficiency, particularly in enhancing the ability of MG to generate and transmit force as well as the rapid contraction capability. Further research is necessary to explore the effects of GR on MG behavior during running in vivo.

PERCEIVED AND BIOMECHANICAL EFFECTS OF RUNNING SHOE CENTER OF GRAVITY SHIFTING IN AMATEUR MALE RUNNERS

This study examined the influence of running shoe center of gravity relative position shifting forward and backward in sagittal axis on male amateur runners. Twenty-three adult male runners were recruited through social media with paid to participate in this study. The experimental shoe used was the Li Ning Feidian Challenger 3. Forward center of gravity (FCG), defined as the shoe center of gravity located at 10.8[Formula: see text]cm (15% before midpoint) from shoe toe to heel. Intermediate center of gravity (ICG), defined as the shoe center of gravity, is located at 14.8[Formula: see text]cm (midpoint) from shoe toe to heel. Backward center of gravity (BCG), defined as the shoe center of gravity, is located at 23.1[Formula: see text]cm (15% after midpoint) from shoe toe to heel. Questionnaire collection was used to assess the perception of the center of gravity shifting. Ground contact temporal, peak force/pressure of plantar and kinetics indicators data were simultaneously captured by motion capture system and force platform. Three participants (13.04%) correctly perceived the shoe center of gravity shifting forward and backward simultaneously. Shoes ICG peak force underneath Meta 1 increased significantly than BCG by 7.59% ([Formula: see text]). Shoes FCG peak force underneath Meta 2 decreased significantly compared to ICG and BCG by 13.62% and 8.96% ([Formula: see text]). Shoes BCG peak force underneath Meta 5 decreased significantly compared to ICG and FCG by 18.18% and 23.78% ([Formula: see text]). Shoes FCG peak pressure underneath Meta 2 decreased significantly compared to ICG and BCG by 13.02% and 9.19% ([Formula: see text]). Shoes FCG peak pressure underneath Meta 2 decreased significantly compared to ICG and BCG by 11.18% and 9.16% ([Formula: see text]). However, there are no significant differences in kinetic indicators. The findings suggest that a fraction of participants can correct perceived shoe center of gravity shifting. Shoes’ FCG reduces force and pressure in the middle metatarsal regions. Shoes’ BCG reduces force in the lateral and medial metatarsal region. Healthcare professionals can optimize the design of footwear accordingly to improve rehabilitation outcomes and reduce injury risks in runners.

The influence of midsole thickness on running turns

Running race courses typically feature numerous turns, an element of a race typically neglected. If a thick midsole were to decrease frontal plane ankle stability, it could potentially lead to a misalignment of lower limb joints, thereby affecting turn running and overall race performance. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the influence of midsole thickness on turn running performance and peak frontal plane ankle angle. Thirteen recreational athletes participated in this study, which examined the effects of two footwear conditions: one with a 35-mm thick midsole and the other with a 50-mm thick midsole. Participants performed ten running trials around each of three turns of radii 3, 6 and 9 m. No significant differences were found between footwear conditions with respect to time to completion (p = 0.028), centre of mass velocity (p = 0.179) or frontal plane ankle angle (p = 0.935) across any of the three turns. These findings would suggest footwear manufactures need not consider the impact of midsole thickness on turn running performance when designing advanced footwear technology (AFT) and consumers need not avoid a substantial stack height when purchasing running shoes.

Impact of midsole thickness on physiological responses during running in well-trained athletes

Introduction Modern running shoes have revolutionized long-distance performances by decreasing the amount of oxygen athletes need when running at a given speed, which is termed running economy. In 2022, World Athletics imposed an upper limit of 40 mm for midsole thickness, possibly to prevent shoes from having an overemphasized role in performance. This ceiling, however, seems arbitrary, and a better understanding of whether midsole thickness affects running economy is needed. This study therefore investigated if midsole thickness affects oxygen consumption both indoors and outdoors, as early findings from treadmill studies may not translate to overground running. Methods Following a familiarization trial including an incremental test, 16 well-trained male runners (weight 70 ± 6 kg, age 28 ± 5 years, peak oxygen uptake, V̇O2peak 64 ± 4 ml O2･kg-1･min-1, peak running speed 20.0 ± 0.8 km･h-1) completed two testing visits, once on a treadmill and once on a track, each consisting of twelve 5-min runs at submaximal speed (16 km･h-1) alternating three different footwear conditions: an entry-level running shoe (EL, 30 mm midsole thickness) and two carbon-plated modern running shoes with midsole thickness of 40 and 50 mm, respectively. The shoe order was randomized and balanced between each of the four replicates. Gas exchange and heart rate were continuously measured throughout the runs. Results Running with 40 mm shoes reduced V̇O2 compared with EL shoes by 2.4 ± 1.1% on the treadmill and 4.0 ± 1.2% when running overground (both p &lt; 0.001). Running with 50mm shoes also decreased V̇O2 compared with EL shoes both on the treadmill (-2.7 ± 1.6%, p &lt; 0.001) and overground (-4.6 ± 1.8%, p &lt; 0.001), but no differences were detected between the modern shoes (40 mm vs. 50 mm treadmill: +0.3 ± 1.3%, p = 0.586; overground: +0.6 ± 1.4%, p = 0.189). Similarly, heart rate was lower compared with the EL shoes in both the 40 mm shoes (treadmill -1.3 ± 0.6%; overground -2.0 ± 0.6%; both p &lt; 0.001) and 50 mm shoes (treadmill -1.6 ± 0.7%; overground -2.3 ± 0.6%, both p &lt; 0.001), but no differences were detected between the modern shoes (40 mm vs. 50 mm treadmill: +0.3% ± 0.6%, p = 0.106; overground: +0.4 ± 0.6%, p = 0.090). Interestingly when running overground V̇O2 decreased over time for the 50 mm shoes, reaching significance between replicates 1 and 4 (p = 0.017), which was not the case for the 40 mm shoes (p = 0.817). The V̇O2 ratio between the 50 mm and 40 mm shoes was 1.003 in replicate 1 and 0.987 in replicate 4 (p = 0.108). Discussion/Conclusion Our data suggests that a 50 mm midsole does not offer significant benefits compared with race-legal 40 mm midsole shoes when tested over short durations. The 50 mm shoes cause a noticeable decrease in V̇O2 over time when used outdoors, which may reflect a learning effect to this unfamiliar midsole thickness. Longer test sessions may be necessary to reveal the actual impact on running economy of shoes with over 40 mm midsoles.

The order of running shoes and how it influences the perception of effort and comfort

Introduction High performance modern shoes reduce energy expenditure and improve performance, however, these gains may also stem from differences in perceived effort. Humans tend to weigh negative information more heavily than positive information, which could influence perception of effort when different shoes are tested sequentially. This study aimed to determine the existence of negativity bias on different measures of perception when alternating running shoes. Methods Eleven well-trained male athletes [age: 28 ± 6 years, weight: 68 ± 5 kg, height: 179 ± 5 cm, peak oxygen consumption: 65 ± 4 ml O2･kg-1･min-1] performed three lab visits: a familiarization day with an incremental test followed by two experimental days (track and treadmill, in balanced order). On each day, participants performed four sets of two 5-min runs at 16km･h-1 (5-min breaks in-between) alternating between On Cloudrunner (entry-level, EL) and Cloudboom Echo 3 (high-performance, HP). The order of the shoes was changed every set (i.e, EL-HP or HP-EL). After each run, participants reported their perception of effort (both on a 100-mm Visual Analog Scale [VAS] and on a 1-10 Borg Scale) and shoe comfort (VAS). Heart rate and gas exchange were monitored using a chest sensor and a metabolic cart. Differences in ratings between EL-HP and HP-EL were compared using paired t-tests. Results In combined data of track and treadmill, the physiological response and perception of effort were significantly lower while perception of comfort was significantly higher with HP compared to EL. On the treadmill, the absolute value of the change in perceived effort (VAS) was lower for EL-HP compared with HP-EL (0.6 ± 0.5 mm vs. 1.0 ± 0.7 mm, p = 0.013), but not on the track (EL-HP 0.5 ± 0.5 mm vs. HP-EL 0.6 ± 0.3 mm, p = 0.602). Absolute changes of effort (Borg) were neither affected by shoe order on the treadmill (EL-HP 0.7 ± 0.4 pts vs. HP-EL 0.8 ± 0.7 pts, p = 0.699) nor on the track (EL-HP 0.5 ± 0.4 pts vs. HP-EL 0.7 ± 0.6 pts, p = 0.452). Similarly, ratings of shoe comfort were neither affected by shoe order on the treadmill (EL-HP 1.8 ± 1.1 mm vs. HP-EL 1.4 ± 1.0 mm, p = 0.086) nor on the track (EL-HP 1.5 ± 1.1 mm vs. HP-EL 1.6 ± 1.0 mm, p = 0.674). Discussion/Conclusion Changes in perceived effort (VAS) assessed during treadmill running were nearly two times larger when switching from EL to HP than vice-versa, supporting the presence of a negativity bias in this specific condition, which could be related to the higher resolution of VAS scales compared with Borg. Possibly, the lack of negativity bias on the track resulted from an overall reduced rating of effort compared with treadmill, which left less room for differences. These findings suggest that it would be beneficial to include a control shoe worn before and between the tested shoes of interest to mitigate any potential negativity bias in tests when determining perceived effort on a treadmill with different shoes.

Walking the Talk: Unraveling the Influence of the Sustainability Features of Leather Alternatives on Consumer Behavior toward Running Shoes

This study seeks to explore the impact of the sustainable features of running shoes on consumers’ inclination to pay a premium price. This research delves into the mediating effect of perceived sustainability and the moderating roles of environmental consciousness and animal conservation in the association between the sustainability features of running shoes and consumers’ willingness to pay a premium. Data were gathered through an online survey distributed on Amazon MTurk. This study employed a one-way ANOVA to assess the influence of sustainability features on consumers’ willingness to pay a premium for running shoes. Mediation analysis was conducted using PROCESS model 4, and moderation analysis was performed using PROCESS model 1 in SPSS 28.0. The findings revealed the significant impact of sustainability features on consumers’ willingness to pay a premium. Perceived sustainability was identified as a partial mediator in the relationship between sustainability features and the willingness to pay a premium. Furthermore, environmental consciousness and animal conservation were identified as moderators influencing the relationship between sustainability features and consumers’ willingness to pay a premium.

The Impact of Running Experience and Shoe Longitudinal Bending Stiffness on Lower Extremity Biomechanics

Purpose The impacts of shoe stiffness on running biomechanics are well-documented, while the specific effects on the performance of biomechanically distinct groups such as novice runners and experienced runners are still largely unexplored. The study aimed to evaluate the biomechanical effects of different shoe longitudinal bending stiffness (adjusted by inserting carbon plate) on the lower limb during running in novice runners and experienced runners. Methods Twelve experienced runners and ten novice runners ran at a speed of 4.47 m/s while randomly wearing shoes with either low stiffness (5.9 Nm/rad) or high stiffness (8.6 Nm/rad). An Opensim musculoskeletal model was adopted for estimating lower limb joint angles, joint angular velocities, joint moment, joint work, peak joint reaction forces during running stance phase. Results Results showed that novice runners displayed greater lower limb joint mobility and less joint moment, while experienced runners exhibited less joint mobility but greater joint moment, and higher peak joint reaction forces were observed at the knee and ankle joints. Furthermore, increased shoe longitudinal bending stiffness resulted in higher peak joint reaction forces at the metatarsophalangeal joint for novice runners while lower for experienced runners. Conclusions Novice runners may face an increased risk of metatarsal pain or stress fractures when dealing with higher shoe stiffness. This nuanced understanding of joint dynamics underscores the need for tailored training and footwear recommendations to mitigate injury risks specific to different levels of running experience.

Scientific Discoveries and Technological Innovation are Nobody's Intellectual Property

Scientific discoveries and technological advances emerge from global communities of inves- tigators sharing their ideas and material resources with one another. Individual investigators or groups make important contributions, to be sure, but these advances are incremental; only when ideas and resources are shared with the community at large, so they can modify and combine with other ideas and resources, does the community become fully creative and innovative. While the "intellectual property" that an individual can legitimately lay claim to is thus very modest, it is the source of a supremely valuable cultural reward: the esteem of the creative communities to which the investigator belongs. When governments attempt to foster innovation by the promise of government-enforced patent monopolies, rather than by direct public spending, scientific communities are disrupted, creativity is impaired, the price of goods and services is greatly elevated, wealth inequality increases, and perverse incentives can distort the marketplace. These shortcomings are especially troubling in the case of pharmaceuticals and other essential sectors, where the products are a public good — not just commodities like TVs or new running shoes — and where effective innovation is a matter of basic economic and social justice — not just commercial prosperity.

Enhancing dynamic energy return and performance of running shoes: Replacing talc with multi-walled carbon nanotubes derived from plastic wastes in midsole foam

Boosting both the lightweight and rebound of a shoe's midsole without compromising its durability is regarded as a challenging aspect of developing excellent running shoes. This study explores the replacement of talc, a conventional reinforcing and nucleating agent for polymers, with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) derived from plastics in the midsole foam of running shoes to enhance lightweight, rebound, and durability. Two types of MWCNTs, non-functionalized and oxygen-functionalized, derived from upcycling mixed plastics were processed with copolymer of ethyl-vinyl acetate (EVA) to create nanocomposite foams. The foam reinforced with non-functionalized MWCNTs exhibited higher dynamic stiffness and similar energy return to oxygen-functionalized MWCNTs. The running shoe prototypes with EVA midsole foam containing 0.5 wt% MWCNTs was 13 % lighter and returned more than 10 % higher energy than the conventional EVA midsole foam with mineral fillers. Additionally, the midsole foam produced from EVA/MWCNTs demonstrated greater flexibility, and durability after 500 km of dynamic impact cycles. The cost difference per pair of running shoe midsole is merely 0.08 USD, considering the exceptional performance of the EVA/MWCNTs midsole as compared to conventional mineral filled EVA midsole. These findings indicate the potential for commercializing EVA/MWCNTs nanocomposite foam as a viable option for high-performance running shoe midsoles, offering athletes improved running performance.

Influence of Footwear Selection on Youth Running Biomechanics: A Pilot Study.

The relationship of running biomechanics, footwear, and injury has been studied extensively in adults. There has been little research on the effects of footwear on running biomechanics in youth. Running biomechanics of youth will be significantly affected by changes in footwear. Minimal shoe running will demonstrate similarities to barefoot. Crossover study design: randomized trial. Level 2. A total of 14 active male youth (8-12 years old) participants with no previous exposure to minimalist shoes or barefoot running had running biomechanics (lower extremity sagittal plane kinematics and vertical ground reaction forces [vGRFs]) collected and analyzed in 3 footwear conditions (barefoot, traditional, and minimal shoe). The average vertical loading rate (AVLR) was significantly greater running barefoot (173.86 bodyweights per second [BW/s]) and in the minimal shoe (138.71 BW/s) compared with the traditional shoe (78.06 BW/s), (P < 0.01). There were significant differences between shoe conditions for knee flexion at initial contact (P < 0.01), knee sagittal plane excursion (P < 0.01), peak dorsiflexion (P < 0.01), and dorsiflexion at initial contact (P = 0.03). No participants displayed a forefoot-strike during this study. The introduction of barefoot and minimalist running in habitually shod youth significantly affected the running biomechanics of youth and caused immediate alterations in both lower extremity kinematics and vGRFs. Running barefoot or in minimal shoes dramatically increased the AVLR, which has been associated with injury, compared with a traditional shoe. This study evaluated the effects of footwear on overground running biomechanics, including AVLR, in pre- and early-adolescent youth males. Based on our findings, clinicians should exercise caution in barefoot or minimal shoe transition among young, habitually shod, runners due to the immediate and dramatic increases in AVLRs.

Effects of Running in Minimal, Maximal and Conventional Footwear on Tibial Stress Fracture Probability: An Examination Using Finite Element and Probabilistic Analyses

This study examined the effects of minimal, maximal and conventional running footwear on tibial strains and stress fracture probability using finite element and probabilistic analyses. The current investigation examined fifteen males running in three footwear conditions (minimal, maximal and conventional). Kinematic data were collected during overground running at 4.0 m/s using an eight-camera motion-capture system and ground reaction forces using a force plate. Tibial strains were quantified using finite element modelling and stress fracture probability calculated via probabilistic modelling over 100 days of running. Ninetieth percentile tibial strains were significantly greater in minimal (4681.13 με) (p &lt; 0.001) and conventional (4498.84 με) (p = 0.007) footwear compared to maximal (4069.65 με). Furthermore, tibial stress fracture probability was significantly greater in minimal footwear (0.22) (p = 0.047) compared to maximal (0.15). The observations from this investigation show that compared to minimal footwear, maximal running shoes appear to be effective in attenuating runners’ likelihood of developing a tibial stress fracture.

Recreational Runners Gain Physiological and Biomechanical Benefits From Super Shoes at Marathon Paces.

Advanced footwear technology is prevalent in distance running, with research focusing on these "super shoes" in competitive athletes, with less understanding of their value for slower runners. The aim of this study was to compare physiological and biomechanical variables between a model of super shoes (Saucony Endorphin Speed 2) and regular running shoes (Saucony Cohesion 13) in recreational athletes. We measured peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) in 10 runners before testing each subject 4 times in a randomly ordered crossover design (ie,Endorphin shoe or Cohesion shoe, running at 65% or 80% of velocity at VO2peak [vVO2peak]). We recorded video data using a high-speed camera (300Hz) to calculate vertical and leg stiffnesses. 65% vVO2peak was equivalent to a speed of 9.4km·h-1 (0.4), whereas 80% vVO2peak was equivalent to 11.5km·h-1 (0.5). Two-way mixed-design analysis of variance showed that oxygen consumption in the Endorphin shoe was 3.9% lower than in the Cohesion shoe at 65% vVO2peak, with an interaction between shoes and speed (P = .020) meaning an increased difference of 5.0% at 80% vVO2peak. There were small increases in vertical and leg stiffnesses in the Endorphin shoes (P < .001); the Endorphin shoe condition also showed trivial to moderate differences in step length, step rate, contact time, and flight time (P < .001). There was a physiological benefit to running in the super shoes even at the slower speed. There were also spatiotemporal and global stiffness improvements indicating that recreational runners benefit from wearing super shoes.

Towards functionally individualised designed footwear recommendation for overuse injury prevention: a scoping review

Injury prevention is essential in running due to the risk of overuse injury development. Tailoring running shoes to individual needs may be a promising strategy to reduce this risk. Novel manufacturing processes allow the production of individualised running shoes that incorporate features that meet individual biomechanical and experiential needs. However, specific ways to individualise footwear to reduce injury risk are poorly understood. Therefore, this scoping review provides an overview of (1) footwear design features that have the potential for individualisation; and (2) the literature on the differential responses to footwear design features between selected groups of individuals. These purposes focus exclusively on reducing the risk of overuse injuries. We included studies in the English language on adults that analysed: (1) potential interaction effects between footwear design features and subgroups of runners or covariates (e.g., age, sex) for running-related biomechanical risk factors or injury incidences; (2) footwear comfort perception for a systematically modified footwear design feature. Most of the included articles (n = 107) analysed male runners. Female runners may be more susceptible to footwear-induced changes and overuse injury development; future research should target more heterogonous sampling. Several footwear design features (e.g., midsole characteristics, upper, outsole profile) show potential for individualisation. However, the literature addressing individualised footwear solutions and the potential to reduce biomechanical risk factors is limited. Future studies should leverage more extensive data collections considering relevant covariates and subgroups while systematically modifying isolated footwear design features to inform footwear individualisation.

Influence of the World Athletics Stack Height Regulation on Track Running Performance.

Ruiz-Alias, SA, Pérez-Castilla, A, Soto-Hermoso, VM, and García-Pinillos, F. Influence of the world athletics stack height regulation on track running performance. J Strength Cond Res 37(11): 2260-2266, 2023-A new footwear regulation based on limiting the stack height (i.e., amount of material between the feet and the ground) has been established by World Athletics to ensure that performance is achieved through the primacy of human effort over technology in running shoes. Analyzing the effect of legal and illegal shoes on running performance is therefore needed to determine its effectiveness. Thus, this study aimed (a) to compare the effect of 2 footwear models categorized as legal and illegal by the World Athletics regulation on track running performance and (b) to analyze the derived metrics of the athletes' biomechanics when using each footwear model at racing paces. Within 1 week, 14 highly trained athletes performed 2 testing sessions composed of 2 time trials of 9- and 3-minute duration with 30 minutes of recovery between them. The athletes wore the "Nike ZoomX Dragonfly" track spikes model and the "Nike ZoomX Vaporfly Next % 2" marathon shoe model in a counterbalanced randomized order. The results revealed that (a) there was only a small worthwhile improvement in the 3-minute time trial when using the marathon shoes of 0.97% (-0.04 to 1.98%) and (b) there was a main effect of footwear in 7 of the 9 biomechanical variables analyzed (p ≤ 0.050). The ground contact time was the unique performance predictor (p = 0.005, adjusted R2 = 0.476). Altogether, the use of legal and illegal running shoes altered the runners form, which only influenced the mid-distance performance.

Differences in the center of pressure movement during standing with running shoes of different constructions: A cross-sectional study

PurposeThis study examined the differences in the center of pressure movement in a one-leg standing position with bare feet, thin-soled shoes, and thick-soled shoes. MethodsIn total, 21 male university students participated in this study. The task involved standing on one leg with the dominant foot for 30 s, and the center of pressure movement was measured using a grab coder (G-620; ANIMA, Tokyo, Japan). Three shoe-wearing states, including bare feet, thin-soled shoes, and thick-soled shoes, with the eyes closed and open in each condition. Statistical analysis was performed, with the significance level set as 5%. ResultsIn the multiple comparison results, the anteroposterior (AP) locus length, AP locus length per second, and maximum amplitude in the AP direction were significantly larger with thick-soled shoes than with bare feet in the closed eyes state. The locus length per unit area was significantly smaller with the thick-soled shoes than with the barefoot condition. Other items did not differ significantly between the shoe-wearing states. ConclusionThick-soled shoes caused a greater center of pressure movement in the AP direction in the static one-leg standing position than did the barefoot state. Our findings suggest that the condition with thick-soled shoes was more unstable in static environments.

Well-trained Endurance Runners' Foot Contact Patterns: Barefoot vs. Shod Condition.

We aimed to investigate the initial foot contact and contact time in experienced endurance runners at individualized speeds, in running shoes and barefoot. Forty-eight participants (33.71±7.49 y, 70.94±8.65 kg, 175.07±7.03 cm, maximum aerobic speed 18.41±1.54 km.h-1) were distributed into three groups according to athletic performance: highly-trained runners, middle-trained runners, and control group. An incremental running test until exhaustion was performed for assessing maximum aerobic speed. After≥24 h of recovery participants randomly walked and ran, barefoot and in running shoes, over a pressure plate at ~4.7 km.h-1 and 85% of the maximum aerobic speed, respectively. They wore the same model of running shoes with homogeneous lacing pattern. A rearfoot strike was performed by 68.8% and 77.1% of participants when running barefoot and in running shoes, respectively. Considering the tendency to develop a rearfoot strike was lower in the barefoot condition, runners with higher performance may benefit from training in minimalist running shoes because their foot contact pattern could tend towards a non-rearfoot strike. Our results suggest that initial foot contact and contact time are related to running performance and may also be influenced by running shoes.