Do running shoes really help reduce injuries and improve training efficiency?

For anyone who has fallen in love with sneakers, knows that this passion does not simply come from the main feature of the shoe: foot protection.

Sneakers are like a work of art, a fertile ground for designers to affirm their ego, build fashion trends and above all, integrate the latest and most modern technologies to support their weight. whole body.

Along with the general development of the world, the boundaries between fashion, sports and technology are increasingly shortened. A question arises: Do running shoes really help reduce injuries and improve training efficiency?

If you are a runner, you know that running shoes have never been cheap.

According to estimates, the sports shoe manufacturing industry is worth 20 billion USD. If you are a runner, you know that running shoes have never been cheap. Running shoes really help you "go up" or just a gimmick of manufacturers? Let's find the answer to this question.

Kenyan female track and field athlete, Mercy Wanjiku Njorog, competed in the 3000m race with only one shoe in the world championships organized by the IAAF

About 6-7 years ago, Kenyan female athlete Mercy Wanjiku Njorog once competed in the 3000m race with only one shoe in the world championships organized by the IAAF.

During the run, Wanjiku's left shoe slipped, a serious imbalance between her legs did not make her give up, but continued to compete and won a bronze medal on August 30, 2011. One shoe or effort helped her win?

Athletics in general or running in particular, is a really uncomplicated sport, but the repetitive nature of bones and joints brings great mental and physical pressure. On average, joints, muscles, and bones are subjected to 5 times your body weight when you stride, leading to extremely high rates of injury.

According to data from Highsnobiety, although major sportswear brands like ASICS, Nike pour billions of dollars each year into the research and development of running shoes, about 65-85% of consumers who love running still experience at least injuries. 1 time/year.

Running shoes

Companies like ASICS, Nike pour billions of dollars a year into research and development of running shoes every year.

A good running shoe is created with the purpose of protecting the feet, reducing injury when moving. The technologies and breakthroughs that we have heard about wear on our ears such as: Lunarlon buffer, Freerun (Nike); BOOST (adidas), Gel (ASICS) to Flyknit, Primeknit. are all advertised to bring running lovers the best experience.

The fact that running can cause you an injury depends on a number of factors below:

- Running style:

The way the muscles and nervous system respond to each person's running posture is a determining factor in the pressure on the foot. Without training, stride and running form are unique to each person. It is directly or indirectly related to the feet, ankles, knees, hips, hand strokes, upper body movements.

When it comes to running injuries, the first thing to consider is your running form, not what shoes you're wearing.

- Stability and cushioning of the shoe

There's no denying that running shoes with a smooth, balanced cushioning can help increase stability while running, somewhat reducing pressure on the feet on rough roads (this is difficult to do with bare feet). ).

On the other hand, good cushioning helps prevent the possibility of injury to the knee and other joints. However, too many buffer layers is not a perfect choice.

The longer and harsher the running type, the thicker the buffer, in contrast to the short distance, needing to accelerate quickly, the buffer will be more flexible and thinner.

Many layers of buffer, high soles often cause runners to land on their heels, which is more likely to cause injury.

Before running shoes were first invented in the 70s of the last century. Most shoes and sandals have a smaller heel and a thinner cushion than modern running shoes, which makes it a habit to land on your toes. That's why this seemingly absurd thing is true: the more modern you wear your running shoes, the easier it is to…injury.

Do running shoes really help reduce injuries and improve training efficiency?

One of the most common running injuries is pronation.

People with normal foot structure (neutral), inward deviation is only about 15%. In people with high-arch, the foot is often turned outward, while the low-arch foot is often turned in. Manufacturers often advertise that they have running shoes that fit each person's foot.

However, according to a study by the British Journal of Sports Medicine (British Journal of Sports Medicine) found that the injury rates of people with different degrees of ankle flip were not significantly different when wearing different types of shoes. for the normal foot (neutral).

This article was not created with the intention of inciting you to throw your expensive running shoes in the trash and then go barefoot on the street. Absolutely not, running shoes still have a certain effect, but are only one of many factors that help you run well.

What needs to be conveyed is, running shoes can affect our health. Be a smart consumer, smart in knowing how to listen to your own body and habits, not being led by flashy marketing campaigns.

There's no such thing as the best running shoe, it all depends on your form, distance, contact surface and, ultimately, your experience. As noted above, it is necessary to experiment with different types of running shoes until you find the one that works best for you.