None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
There is currently no scientific evidence concerning the direct effect of running shoes on running performance and prevention of injury. It has been suggested that excessive cushioning in running shoes may have had the unintended effect of weakening the foot and altering the way that people run. Lightweight running shoes with minimal cushioning and reduced heel lift have been shown to increase muscle strength and cause potentially beneficial changes to the way that we run. Lightweight running shoes may be of benefit to runners wanting to improve running performance and prevent injury. The aim of this project is to investigate the long term effects of running shoes on running performance and prevention of injury.
Interventions
A lightweight running shoe with minimal cushioning and reduced heel lift will be the intervention in this study. The total duration of the study intervention is 26 weeks. This will consist of an initial 20 week transition period where partipants allocated to the intervention group will gradually switch from running in their previous shoe to the lightweight shoe with minimal cushioning and a reduced heel lift. In the first week following allocation this will consist of using the lightweight runni
A lightweight running shoe with minimal cushioning and reduced heel lift will be the intervention in this study. The total duration of the study intervention is 26 weeks. This will consist of an initial 20 week transition period where partipants allocated to the intervention group will gradually switch from running in their previous shoe to the lightweight shoe with minimal cushioning and a reduced heel lift. In the first week following allocation this will consist of using the lightweight running shoe with minimal cushioning and reduced heel lift for 5% of the total running performed for that week. This duration will increase by a further 5% each week so that in week 20 participants will be performing 100% of their running in the lightweight running shoe with minimal cushioning and a reduced heel lift. Weeks 21-26 will involve all running in the lightweight running shoe with minimal cushioning and a reduced heel lift. Adherence to this intervention protocol will be monitored in a study diary that participants will be required to fill out daily.
Sponsors
University of South Australia
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Prevention
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
Male
Age
18 Years to 40 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
Run a minimum of 15 km per week. 5 km time trial performance less than 23 minutes.
Exclusion criteria
Previous history of running in a lightweight running shoe with minimal cushioning and reduced heel lift. Run with a midfoot or forefoot footfall. Previous history of orthotic use with running shoes in the previous 3 months. Previous history of muculoskeletal injury that affected running within the previous 3 months. Previous history of invasive surgery that affected running within the previous 12 months.
Outcome results
None listed