Running may provide cardiovascular and other health benefits, but a new study says it can increase stresses on the joints of the leg compared with running barefoot. In fact, the study foundrunning in modern running shoes puts more stress on joints than walking in high-heeled shoes.
 

The findings from the study, published in the journal PM&R: The journal of injury, function and rehabilitation, confirm that while the typical construction of modern-day running shoes provides good support and protection of the foot itself, one negative effect is the increased stress on each of the three lower extremity joints. These increases are likely caused in large part by an elevated heel and increased material under the medial arch, both characteristic of today's running shoes.

 

The study involved healthy, young, adult runners who run in typical, currently available running shoes, who were selected from the general population. None had any history of musculoskeletal injury and each ran at least 15 miles per week. A running shoe, selected for its neutral classification and design characteristics typical of most running footwear, was provided to all runners. Using a treadmill and a motion analysis system, each subject was observed running barefoot and with shoes. Data were collected at each runner's comfortable running pace after a warm-up period.

 

The researchers observed increased joint torques at the hip, knee and ankle with running shoes compared with running barefoot. Disproportionately large increases were observed in the hip internal rotation torque and in the knee flexion and knee varus torques. An average 54 percent increase in the hip internal rotation torque, a 36 percent increase in knee flexion torque, and a 38 percent increase in knee varus torque were measured when running in running shoes compared with barefoot.

“Reducing joint torques with footwear completely to that of barefoot running, while providing meaningful footwear functions, especially compliance,” the authors write, “should be the goal of new footwear designs.”