In other words, the squishiness you feel when your foot lands and expands doesn’t necessarily help protect your joints, and may even hurt them-you could be creating more stress instead of less when you opt for the most cushioned shoe. Joints and tissues end up doing the job, which can lead to injury.Ī study in 2015 had similar results, showing that a softer shoe increased vertical impact forces and caused more knee joint stiffness, which implied the possibility of increased loading on the tissues. The theory behind the result is that big soft shoes prevent the foot from functioning as it should (like a spring), and instead turn it into a shock absorber. In June 2018, a study at Oregon State University indicated that super-cushioned, maximalist shoes actually caused a higher rate of peak loading and impact forces-basically the effect of the foot striking the ground. And while the infinite models of shoes available combined with variations in individual stride can make testing problematic, many studies suggest that more cushion in a running shoe might not always be better. Scientists have studied just about every element in running shoes, observing not only speed but injury rates. The birth of the ‘maximalist’ running shoe, with an immense amount of cushion (and often with a minimal drop), has filled this niche nicely as more runners get into the ultra scene. Athletes looking to log big miles while avoiding injury may naturally be drawn to more cushioned running shoes, which intuitively would seem to offer more protection.
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