Are expensive running shoes worth the money? Not according to a new study out of Australia.
Researchers at the University of Newcastle in New South Wales have found no scientific evidence to support claims that high-end running shoes prevent injuries in runners.
Researchers analyzed 60 years worth of sports medicine literature to see if running shoes with elevated cushioned heels and anti-pronation systems actually prevented injury. The researchers identify these widely used shoes as ‘Pronation Control, Elevated Cushioned Heel’ (PCECH) running shoes.
“Since the 1980s, distance running shoes with thick, heavily cushioned heels and features to control how much the heel rolls in, have been consistently recommended to runners who want to avoid injury,” Dr Richards said. “We did not identify a single study that has attempted to measure the effect of this shoe type on either injury rates or performance.
Dutch researchers have previously found that between 37 and 56 per cent of recreational runners become injured at least once each year. These injuries mainly affect runners’ legs and feet.
“Recommending a PCECH running shoe has been the standard option for preventing running injuries,” Dr. Richards said. “Not only can we no longer recommend a PCECH shoe, but the lack of research in this area means that we cannot currently make any evidence-based shoe recommendations to runners.”
The findings are published in the latest edition of the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
photo credits: top Herkie, bottom sling@flickr.
March 19th, 2009 at 5:47 am
well I don’t need a research to tell me that those running shoes really prevents injuries or not, you can feel it your self it is true those shoes can prevent injuries just try letting the good doctor wear a flat shoes and try running compare to an elevated shoes you can actually feel the pain of the back of your sole hurting with a flat shoes and with an elevated one you’ll feel much comfortable and besides that’s not the only advantage of and elevated shoes it also lets you run faster.
March 29th, 2009 at 8:44 am
Celebrity Gossip is awesome. I remember when Britany shaved her head and I searched all over the internet just to show my friends what she looked like. Do you have a Brittany section on this site.