Best Shoes for Forefoot Running are the Thinnest

28/01/2015 Bretta Riches Best Forefoot Running Shoes 571

The best shoes for forefoot running are ones that are ultra thin, with no compressible materials. Why?

The amount of shoe cushioning correlates to landing intensity whereby greater compressible materials elicit more forceful landings during running.

  • A more forceful foot strike arises because the body tries to create a hard surface for better landing stability by pressing through the compressible materials.
  • In a sense, the body is competing with the shoe to achieve stability, suggesting that shoe cushioning is anti-progressive for building better balance control in runners.

Robbins and Waked found that soft, plush shoe cushioning offers nothing but a ‘false sense of security”. The researchers reported the following:

  • Runners who wore cushioned running shoes produced a higher vertical impact at touchdown because the soft material of the shoe was a destabilizing factor.
  • The runners struck the ground harder, i.e. with higher vertical impact, to protect against falling because the shoe cushioning caused them to perceive each subsequent footfall as unstable.

Based on their results, cushioned running shoes act as an unfamiliar support surface and that barefoot conditions provide a more stable landing environment.

Avoid cushioned shoes for forefoot running
In cushioned running shoes such as the Nike Frees, a runner strikes the ground harder to compress the cushioned material for better stability.

Why Thin Running Shoes Are Better

When it comes to stability optimization during forefoot running, the foot/ankle complex prefers landing on hard, not soft surfaces.

Thin running shoes optimize landing stability because there are less compressible materials between the foot and the ground.

Thin running shoes better for forefoot running
Thin running shoes such as the Vibram Five Fingers, have no compressible material, allowing for a more stable environment for running.

The Take Home Message

Thinner running shoes improve neuromusular coordination that are otherwise impaired in cushioned running shoes. When selecting the best forefoot running shoe, make sure it doesn’t feel soft, foamy, or squishy.

Remember, the more cushioning in a shoe, the harder the foot strikes the ground to compress it! This evidence contradicts the scenario that shoe cushioning absorbs impact, but it doesn’t, it causes a runner to generate more impact.

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References:

Robbins SE and Waked E. Balance and vertical impact in sports: role of shoe sole materials. Arch Phys Med Rehabil, 1997; 78:463-7.

P.S. Don't forget to check out the Run Forefoot Facebook Page, it's a terrific place to ask questions about forefoot running, barefoot running and injury. I'm always happy to help!

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