![]() ![]() Too stiff and the calf muscles have to work too hard to produce the required forces to rotate the ankle too soft and the benefit becomes trivial. Stiffer soled shoes can improve running economy, but only if the bending stiffness is optimised for the specific athlete. Reducing the amount the toes bend by making shoes stiffer can reduce the amount of energy lost. Our toe joints naturally bend when we push off, which dissipates some of the energy added by calf muscle contraction. The way the foot moves is also important. Related articlesĪdvances in running shoe technology have sparked debate about whether shoes help you run faster. So the benefit of cushioning during impact may be offset by the increase in muscular effort needed to push off. In fact, cushioned shoes increase activation of foot and leg muscles during push-off, compared to barefoot running. So, this energy must be replaced, through muscular contraction, to propel the runner into the next step and prevent a drop in speed. But traditional running shoes lose energy with every step (converted mainly to heat). Reducing muscular effort at impact through shoe cushioning can be beneficial. So the ideal would be to provide enough cushioning with as little weight as possible for the best running performance. And running barefoot on a treadmill, that provides the same cushioning as shoes (without adding weight to the feet), produced a small (~1.6%) improvement in running economy. So, there is a trade-off between the benefit of cushioning and the detrimental effects of added weight.Ī recent study found running in shoes each weighing 211 grams resulted in the same energy consumed for a given running distance (called running economy) as running barefoot. ![]() However, adding cushioning also increases shoe weight. Shoe cushioning can alleviate some of that. If shoe weight is so important, why not run barefoot? Running barefoot requires energy to be absorbed by the muscles of the legs and feet when the foot hits the ground. Premium running shoes weigh on average 250 to 340 grams each, while the controversial Nike Zoom Vaporfly Elite tips the scales at just 184 grams. Advances in materials technology have allowed running shoes to get lighter and lighter. ![]()
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