New study says minimalist shoes offer less injury risk
23/11/2016
Researchers compared how quickly the force acts when runners’ feet hit the ground – known as the loading rate – which has been shown to influence running injury risk.
Unfortunately, the Exeter study involved a small sample, only 29 runners. However, researchers said afterwards that it showed significantly lower loading rates for runners who wore minimalist footwear compared to those wearing standard running shoes.
Lead author Dr Hannah Rice said: “So many people use running as a means of reducing the risk of chronic diseases, but about three-quarters of runners typically get injured in a year. This research shows that running in minimal shoes and landing on the balls of your feet reduces loading rates and may therefore reduce the risk of injury.”
She explained that, according to the research, becoming accustomed to running with a forefoot strike in shoes that lack cushioning promotes a landing with the lowest loading rates, and said this may be beneficial in reducing the risk of injury.
She went on to warn that any transition to different footwear or to a different foot-strike pattern should be “undertaken gradually, and with guidance”.
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