On the point of retraining your gait, it takes a while of active thinking while moving, but it can be done. I had to change my walking gait because I overpronated, and I wore supportive shoes to help with the pain. I wore Asics GT-1000's or my shoes of the past 5 years or so, the Asics Dynamis. I actually sprained my foot in 2016 when I was wearing the GT-1000's, just by jogging across a road. I wanted out, and I didn't want orthotics, so I did some digging and learned of barefoot shoes. I took the time to change my habits and strengthen my feet, and I haven't worn a normal shoe in about 5 months now. I worked 13 hours in a furniture store on Black Friday with no joint pain, just sore feet from standing all day, and I did it in a 10mm, flat shoe. I would suggest that if someone is going to retrain their running gait, make sure you're walking okay first, as it may help with your running. I'm not really a runner, but when I do run, it's in shoes with no cushioning and it feels fine. Learn to walk and run without cushioning or any shoes at all, so you can get stronger and you might not even need the big cushioned shoes anymore. It's pretty easy to not heel strike when there's nothing to protect your heel from the ground. :P
Nice going retraining your walking gait. I think it's one of those things that sounds rather easy and intuitive but is very time consuming and takes a lot of commitment and mindfulness! Impressive! You're 100% right about it being easy not to heel strike without protection. Is the solution to heel striking really that easy? Or perhaps heel striking isn't actually that insidious? 🤔
Great article review Matt!! That’s awesome that research shows that cushion shoes are good. I agree with you, so what works for you. Last week went well. I did 55 miles with a 16 mile long run. This morning I did a 5 mile tempo run at 7:27 minute per mile pace. Thanks for sharing!!
Setback: ran my local ParkRun slower without my dog (bad day, 3 puke stops) than with my dog (4 or 5 sniff stops). Success: was at a canicross training day with the floof and it was a success! We have a new hobby to train! 🤩🤩🤩🤩
I would argue that you running a ParkRun slower w/o your dog was a huge success; you discovered the secret to your speed and motivation to run fast! You're going to have the fittest dog in town!
This is fascinating information for me as a jump roper. I have long suspected that stopping a jump rope session applies more stress on my body than continuing - and I might be correct. Jump ropers jump on the midfoot and maybe our heels “kiss” the ground on some moves. Most jump ropers jump in cushioned running shoes and now we know why. (BTW, you could have a brilliant career writing clinical research protocols. 👍🏻 )
Jump roping is so impressive! I'm always amazed at the ease the pros can do all the fancy tricks, but when I try to just jump I get totally gassed in less than a minute! I suspect you're right about the stopping of jumping creates more force than continuing. When stopping, 100% of the force is being applied to your feet, but when continuing, the energy gets returned for the jump. Now that I wrote that I'm having a hard time thinking it's true. It's almost like both ways have face validity. 🤷🏻♂️
I'm really getting back into rythm at the moment. The last week had all the good ingredients; a threshold run, fast interval repetitions, and a long run. Just sweet!
The only injury I had through the years is to my calfs and those always happen in soft shoes going fast.. Non plated. For example my worse injury was in the New Balance 880V10. High drop and un flexible soft midsole.. Of course soft and hard is subjective. I never injured myself running in a low drop hard shoe like the Hyperion Tempo but I do feel the impact on the body in the harder shoes when I pass the 60 minutes mark (Road). I can easily do 90+ minutes in the RCV2 or Nimbus 24. For me it is always a surprise what I will do that day. I get dressed, go out and then let Garmin tell me what to do. So yesterday I had my "hard" shoes on the Hyperion Tempo which I find amazing... And Garmin said 1h45m base run.. I was thinking about 45 minutes moderate run but I did the 1:45 and I did regret not having the Nimbus 24 or Novablast 2 on. My biggest challenge is to decide which shoe to wear.. As my runs just differ in length and a bit in speed it is a problem when you have 10 pairs of good shoes and 6 amazing.. So I have a system.. I just look at the shoes on the table and somehow my brain locks on one.. Like you know that you want Pistachio ice-cream and not vanilla and you don't know really why.. The Hyperion Tempo was the same shoe day after day but I don't fight it..
The paradox of choice is real! It's a real struggle when we have so many shoes, but I do something similar to you; I take the pair that catches my attention at the moment! It's good to hear you haven't been injured too much over the years, and that you know what causes the injury! If you just stay away from running fast in soft shoes, you'll be a healthy runner!
You’re so brave volunteering yourself as tribute. I get so depressed every time I get injured because I can’t run and I feel insecure that I got hurt etc
I should probably add asterisk above my volunteering: I will happily be a part of the experiment if I get the more favorable option where my chances of being injured are reduced! 😂
I agree with you at 7:20. It kind of reminds me of being told that I shouldn't put watered-down fruit juice in my bottle because some people have trouble digesting fructose--except of course that I've done that for 30 years without issue so evidently I'm not one of those people. I buy shoes for one person, not a statistically significant sample of the population. If they feel OK and I can run comfortably in them then they're good for me, and my feet seem to be able to adjust to most reasonable shoes if I ease into wearing them. It was a good week of running here, 13 miles on Saturday on a beautiful morning, 10 of them with a group plus some solo bonus miles, no hard speed work because I was planning to go long--for me--but moderate tempo-ish runs on Monday and Thursday, 42 miles total. Great job with your week!
I always enjoy getting those bonus miles after running with a group! It's like a little bonus gift! It's funny that even though the research shows what it does, when it comes down to it we're all individuals and they primary advice is always to wear what is the most comfortable for us!
@@its_Matt_B_ It can feel a little bit passive aggressive though--"You've all had enough but I'm still rarin' to go."😄I'd guess that the research results strongly reflect members of the sample with precursors to injury: mechanical faults, going too hard every day, being chronically under-recovered, jacking up mileage too fast, the things a lot of us have gotten wrong at one time or another but hopefully learned to avoid with experience.
@@largeeddie I hadn't thought of it that way, but yes, when you put it like that it does seem a little passive aggressive to keep going. I thought of a situation more like training for a marathon, where someone not training for a marathon doesn't need to run as far. 😂
@@its_Matt_B_ You're right of course, Matt. It doesn't bother me at all when someone else does it for exactly the reason you gave. I felt a little bit awkward doing it myself though, like someone else could take it the wrong way. But it's a very chill and super positive group and I doubt anyone would, and in truth it's not my problem if anyone does.
Hey matt,interesting study i do prefer shoe on the softer side especially for those longer runs but not too squishy..so anywhere in between is the sweet spot...thats why i like the ghosts they are just right for those longer runs soft and comfortable....
Agreed! There is definitely a point where shoe become too squishy. I’m with you on the Ghost. I’m looking forward to the 15s drop in the next couple weeks.
Great stuff as always Matt! Bringing the science to the fore. Also those Birkenstocks would get a 10/10 for breathability in the upper if nothing else!! 🤣
I have made a big decision to run my 2nd marathon which will take place in Long Beach on October 9th this year! My approach will be quite different from L.A. Just finish and enjoy the challenge. I favor soft bouncy running shoes. My favorite are my Novoblast 2's and likely will be my choice for my marathon. I'm 65, no time goals!
Finishing and enjoying the challenge is a superb goal! It allows for the happiness of completing the race to last so much longer than going for a time goal! Good luck with your training, Ray! 👊🏼
Soft cushioned shoes are popular, but they produce metatarsal pain on the outside of both feet. I find that firmer shoes, like the Brooks Ghost, provide a comfortable amount of cushion, but absolutely no pain. That goes against the research reported here, because my foot strike is decidedly forward with the Ghosts, yet I have no forefoot pain. I heel strike with cushioned shoes and get pain in the forefoot. ???????
Hmm, that’s interesting! I suppose we have to not think too much about it and just do what works best for us! It’s so good we live in a time with so many running shoe options! 👊🏽
Precisely. My son loves his Hoka Clifton's. Hoka is what started my foot pain. Other than shoes that were too short, I never experienced any pain until my son gave me a pair. Went back to Ghost and my foot healed. Later tried Saucony Triumph, a moderately cushioned shoe. Although I loved the soft rebound, foot pain started again. In the end, it's what gives us the greatest enjoyment on our runs. I'm 77, so old age may have something to do with it. When I started running 40+ years ago, it didn't matter what shoes I chose. @@its_Matt_B_
I just realized that the study is answering the wrong question. The study built the same shoe, but varied the durometer / softness of the midsole. That tries to explore the question of "All things being equal, is a firm midsole better or soft midsole better for preventing injury?" Firm ≠ minimalist. The argument against soft cushy shoes is that they don't allow you to feel the ground, so your foot hits the ground harder to get that sense of proprioception. So the argument is that if you have minimalist shoes (many brands are 5-10mm in stack height - not drop, but stack) that allow you to really feel the ground, you'd have instant feedback about how your feet hit the ground and you'd adapt to be lighter on your feet, less ground contact time, and quicker strides. I've found this to be true in my own experience, but that's besides the point. Whether you believe it or not is one thing, but this is the real question that was supposed to be answered. Minimal shoes vs big stack (whether soft or firm).
I think the study got the appropriate results for the experiment they conducted. Low vs. high stack height would be another experiment entirely, and perhaps it is a good jumping off point for the next group of researchers.
Last week wasn't too bad did a mix of running and some gym work(strength training)..more on the running side this week hopefully some decent mileage 😁🏃♂️
Phew!! I was worried, with all the fiery opinions between soft, firm, drop, etc. I simply enjoy my running more with cushioned shoes, so I'm glad to hear I'm not sabotaging myself! Week was tough, working SO MUCH, and expanded the business. Hopefully it'll ease up in a few weeks, so that I can train for my upcoming 50k!
😂 Is there ever a week when you're not working SO MUCH? You always work so hard! It's both impressive and concerning! 😁 As long as you're living your best life, I'm happy for you! You can make the time to train for your 50k. Commit to it now....like, right now, in the indelible medium of a RU-vid video comment! GO!
@@its_Matt_B_ Nope, I've worked 2-3 jobs for the last 2 years, and it'll probably continue for another 2. But then I'll be living the dream, and have OODLES of time to train! OK, here goes... I promise, to myself and the RU-vid runiverse, I WILL run 4x per week, every week, to train for my July 50k. Ok, need to go run now! 😆
@@Kelly_Ben Ok, good to hear you're working towards an end point! That'll keep you going! Excellent that you've committed to running 4x a week and with such a public declaration (that only the 1-2 people reading the comments will see)! 😂
@@its_Matt_B_ 1-2 people 😆 You're too modest. Thanks to your nudge I went out and ran my longest run since my heart scare, nearly 7 miles with killer hills. I'm glad to say my fitness is returning much faster than expected after such sporadic training for the last 6 months. I've got less than 6 weeks, and I'll need every bit of it. Doing a quicky and a strength session today.
@@Kelly_Ben Nice! Well done! Once you're fit, your body remembers how to get back there a lot quicker. Keep it up, and good going with the strength work! 💪
I find i run slower runs better in a cushier midsole and shorter and faster runs in a firmer but not hard midsole with a less than max stack..if do the reverse i can get some hip pain
I suppose the definition of 'soft'/'firm' is very subjective and different by the individuals, and though I agree that the 'softer' midsole would benefit injury prevention in general, there should be the sweetspot of the softness/firmness of the midsole, which should also be very different across different individuals, that 'too' soft midsole may lead to an injury, so it'd be more like that the relationship of the injury and softness of midsole to be U or smile shaped curve.
Good observation, and I agree the feeling of “softness” is subjective. The study didn’t identify a durometer unit, but they would have used the same soft/hardness for each type of shoe, so I suppose the study’s variables were valid.
I’m so glad to hear the results of that study. I don’t really like shoes too firm. Light strike pro is the maximum for ‘firm’ for me. The fuel cell foam in the RC elite v2 is my go to everyday training shoe because of that comforting foam.
I'm with you! I also prefer a softer foam. I love running workouts in the Endorphin Pros, but they are far to firm for me to consider using them to race a marathon. I feel like I would be pretty beat up at the end from running for so long in a firm foam!
Have you noticed a difference since adjusting your foot strike? I’ve been going through a bout of PF but it doesn’t bother me when I’m running. It only hurts after I’ve been sitting or lying down when my foot isn’t in dorsiflexion.
I'm finally almost done with a vicious bout of PF, brought on by wearing worn out running shoes at work on cement all night. If you're not already doing them, do toe exercises! I had minimal improvement over 5 months, then started toe exercises (along with massage and calf raises/ stretches) and it's almost gone in a month! Good luck guys!
Both shoes had a 10mm drop because they needed to make the shoes identical other than the firmness. I would expect similar results from any level of drop, however, injuries would probably be less in a lower drop shoe only because people tend to land more mid to forefoot when the drop is lower.
Great video, thanks for putting this out. Now when I go to buy my next shoe, it is going to take some time. With that, I have become more of a speed walker mixed with sprinting SO I don't classifies me as a runner?
Buy from a place that has a good return policy and you won’t go wrong! You can test whichever shoes you’re interested in and return what doesn’t work for you. Since becoming more of a speed walker, have you found your shoes get worn down more quickly than when just running in them. I always thought walking wears down my shoes considerably quicker. 🤷🏻♂️
Very interesting. I’m finding in high stack soft shoes such as the speedgoat has been really messing my knee up and quickly. But running in my Altra Rivera which feels even softer but has much lower stack and 0 drop makes it so I have no issues with my knees and just feels like less jolt to the body. There is definitely something about stack height that probably makes it so you are reaching the ground faster on your stride which makes it so you are going strike your heel even if that’s not your active intent. Drop may play a factor in that as well I think since the evenness of the foam may have something to do with it as well. A vanish carbon/tempo would have to be tested for that. Then there is the foam rebound. My RC elite 2 are so soft and squishy but it gives me problems as well while the vaporflys dont. On paper there shouldn’t be much difference there. Both high stack, 8mm drop, carbon plate. Could be shape plate or could be that zoomx rebounds much faster than fuel cell. Now a real thing to think about. Who are running shoes really made for? Typically lightweight/lanky individuals who possibly have a history of running. If you are a heavyweight or a new runner, or both, then in reality I think most shoes aren’t tailored for you. So myself having to trial and error have figured these things out. For me if it’s soft it should be low stack, the lowest amount of drop possible (0mm preferably) and not “plush”. Foam rebound has to be high. Same with a racing shoe. Should be as stable as possible, with foam/plate combo that rebounds as quickly as possibly that is not too plush. Foams that come to mind, Altra ego, zoomX, puma nitro, pwrRunPB. This is all of course anecdotal but it is food for thought.
You're right that shoes are designed for a subset of the population but expected to be used by the whole population. As far as zero drop goes, that will also contribute to lower injury rates as you're far more likely to land midfoot! Your anecdotal experiences are certainly food for thought and something each of us should copy to really find out what works best for us. Ultimately, nothing works for everyone and it's likely each of us will like something different.
I found cheep Nike runner's. One soft outside with good cushion on bottom. The other, the outer is stiff with nice bottom. I don't enjoy the stiff outside. Revolution 6 was not a good cheep choice.
I’m my experience I’ve found cheap shoes are not necessarily the way to go as the midsole is always firmer than I think it should be. For me it’s usually best to wait for more expensive shoes to go on sale as they get older, that way I get the premium materials for a good price.
Hey matt i got the latest nike infinity run flyknit 3 in india for just 70 dollars. And puma velocity nitro 2 for 60 dollars. Is nt it a steal. It think i grab them at a steal price. Since they both are newly launched shoes.
@@its_Matt_B_ sorry for disturb you again. Now I grabbed adidas ultraboost 22 for just 70 dollars. Here in india sale is going on. I grab 3 best pair in the price of one. They are one of the most expensive shoes in india. Retail for 240 dollars.
