Runners Who Wear This Type of Shoe Are More Likely to Get Injured, Study Finds

Carrying thick-heeled footwear would possibly make runners extra liable to damage, new analysis reveals. 

Individuals who put on flatter sneakers could have a greater understanding of how their ft transfer throughout operating, which might result in fewer accidents, researchers from the College of Florida Sports activities Efficiency Heart reported in a Frontiers in Sports activities and Energetic Residing paper revealed in December. 

Researchers examined over six years’ price of information in regards to the damage historical past and shoe kind options—weight, cushioning, and heel peak—of greater than 700 racially and ethnically various endurance runners ages 12 to 77. In addition they used particular treadmills and movement seize movies to investigate operating gait and requested individuals to determine their explicit operating “foot strike,” which refers back to the means the foot first touches the bottom.

Those that wore thick-heeled sneakers whereas operating had the next damage price. Runners with thicker heels additionally weren’t as correct at figuring out their foot strike as runners with flatter footwear, a probable issue within the excessive damage charges.

Scientists got here to these conclusions after controlling for age, weight, operating quantity, and competitiveness.

“We noticed that when runners are already operating with their heels supported larger, they could have a false sense that the forefoot is hanging first and infrequently consider that they’re ‘forefoot strikers,’” Heather K. Vincent, PhD, director of the UF Well being Sports activities Efficiency Heart and lead creator of the examine, informed Well being. “Actually, they’re clearly rear foot strikers, and the heel of the shoe strikes first.” 

It’s this confusion over foot motion that may end up in damage, Lori Diamos, PT, a purposeful motion specialist, informed Well being.

“Identical to standing on a foam pad challenges your steadiness and management, these footwear dampen your physique’s capacity to sense and react to the bottom,” she mentioned. “This forces you to rely extra on the shoe for stability as a substitute of your muscle tissue and joints, rising the danger of accidents like ankle sprains or knee pain.” 

Regardless of the connection between thick-heeled sneakers and accidents, the researchers stress that they nonetheless don’t know whether or not one of these shoe truly causes accidents. Although different research—albeit smaller ones—have additionally indicated that heel peak and foot motion can affect operating accidents, extra analysis could be wanted to ascertain a possible causal relationship.

Whatever the ambiguity, if the examine has you vying for a flatter operating shoe—or any kind of latest operating shoe, for that matter—it’s greatest to take sure precautions to keep away from accidents. 

For one, search for footwear which can be tailor-made to your foot kind however don’t drive you to alter your pure operating fashion, Emma Anderson, a licensed private coach and train science coach at Match Athletic Membership, informed Well being.

“Trainers must be comfy, sturdy but additionally breathable and versatile,” she mentioned. “Be certain the ft have sufficient room, and the toes aren’t crammed.”

You additionally need to verify that the footwear are meant for the terrain you plan to run on, whether or not that’s the treadmill, path, monitor, or avenue, she added. 

Typically, consultants advocate beginning gradual. Take shorter runs together with your new footwear and preserve your previous ones round so you’ll be able to alternate between them for a number of weeks. 

“Not each shoe could also be best for you,” Anderson added, “so in case you discover ache or discomfort when switching to your new trainers, cease and search out a special shoe that could be extra appropriate.”