The effect of running shoe design on comfort and injury rates in recreational runners

A randomised controlled trial to compare comfort and injury rates in recreational runners with normal foot type wearing motion control running shoes versus barefoot running shoes versus their own running shoes.

Status

Recruiting

Phases

Unknown

Study type

Interventional

Source

ANZCTR

Registry ID

ACTRN12613000612718

Enrollment

150

Registered

2013-05-28

Start date

2011-08-15

Completion date

2013-07-01

Last updated

2020-01-13

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

None listed

Brief summary

Information on comfort levels and incidence of running related pain or injury with each type of footwear will provide valuable evidence on the effect of footwear design, specifically motion control footwear versus barefoot running shoes on injury rates and runner comfort.

Interventions

Arm1: Participants will receive a pair of dual density running shoes. The ASICS (Registered Trademark) GEL-1100 (Trademark) series shoe provided is a motion control shoe that provides cushioning and stability. Arm2: Participants will receive a pair of barefoot running shoes. The Vibram FiveFingers (Registered Trademark) Sprint model provided has a polyamide fabric upper and performance rubber sole. Participants being issued with a new pair of footwear will be given a two week adjustment period to adapt to the new footwear prior to beginning the study. Participants will be asked to wear the shoes for some or all of their weekly running sessions if they are comfortable doing so. Study duration is 6 months and participants will complete surveys at baseline, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months. Adherence will be monitored via the surveys. Questions include how many times per week the footwear was used, percentage of training completed in the footwear, and details of training (type, distance, surface)

Study design

Allocation

Randomised controlled trial

Intervention model

Parallel

Primary purpose

Prevention

Masking

Blinded (masking used) (Caregiver, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

All

Age

18 Years to No maximum

Healthy volunteers

Yes

Inclusion criteria

i. Aged greater than or equal to 18 years; ii. Recreational runners male or female with Foot Posture Index indicating a normal foot type (this category includes neutral to slightly flat); iii. Must run regularly (2 sessions or more per week).

Exclusion criteria

i. The current use of foot orthoses; ii. Any systemic disease affecting the musculoskeletal system; iii. A history of major lower back and leg injury and/or surgery; iv. A current acute injury that prevents running.

Outcome results