Runners wearing thick-heeled shoes fail to identify how hard they are striking the ground. Runners wearing thick-heeled sneakers have a higher risk of injury compared to those using flatter shoes, a new study has found. Those in thick-heeled shoes seem to struggle to sense exactly how their feet land with each step, likely contributing to the elevated injury rates, according to the study published in the journal Frontiers in Sports and Active Living.
Researchers from the University of Florida instead recommend flatter shoes for most runners which they say are linked to lower injury risks. They, however, urge runners to gradually transition to flatter shoes as switching too quickly to a new shoe type or altering foot strike patterns can pose injury risks as well.
“It may take up to six months for it to feel natural. It’s a process,” study lead author Heather Vincent said. “I had to teach myself to get out of the big, high-heeled shoes down to something with more moderate cushioning and to work on foot strengthening.”.
While previous studies have shown a link between foot strike patterns, shoe type, and running injuries, the exact interaction between these factors has been difficult to identify, researchers say. In the new study, they assessed data collected over six years from nearly 700 runners about their shoe type and injury history as well as objective data about their running gait acquired using special treadmills and motion capture videos.
