Cheap Trainers Are As Good As Expensive Ones, And Sometimes Better

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Main Category: Sports Medicine / Fitness
Also Included In: Bones / Orthopaedics
Article Date: 11 Oct 2007 - 0:00 PDT

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If you are thinking of spending extra money to get better cushioning impact and overall comfort you will probably find that you are wasting your money, according to an article published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

The researchers found that cheap and moderately priced running shoes are just as good, and sometimes superior to pricey ones - especially as far as cushioning impact and general comfort is concerned.

The researcher bought nine pairs of trainers from three different makers - there were three price ranges: 1. £40 to £45 ($80-$90). 2. £60-£65 ($120-130). 3. £70-£75 ($140-$150). They then recruited 43 volunteers, all of them runners, - none of them were told how much the shoes cost.

Plantar pressure was recorded in eight different areas of the sole, using a Pedar (a special device) attached to the shoes. Plantar pressure is the force produced by the impact of the sole when it hits the ground.

The researchers found that different models performed differently for various areas of the foot. However, in general, there were no significant differences among the shoes - regardless of price and/or brand.

Surprisingly, the researchers found that planter was slightly lower in the cheap and moderately priced shoes than in the expensive ones. However, the difference was not enough to be statistically significant.

The volunteers had to rate the shoes for comfort using a validated graded scale which ranged from 'least' to 'most comfortable imaginable'. Although comfort ratings varied substantially, they were in no way linked to price.

The authors explain that running produces significant shock waves to the bones of the foot, which spread out to the bones in other parts of the body. The faster and/or further you run the greater is the force of the impact. That is why runners are more likely to have stress fractures, muscle tears, knee pain and osteoarthritis.

Makers generally claim that their more expensive trainers cushion the soles of your feet more and are more likely to prevent this kind of damage.

"Do you get value for money when you buy an expensive pair of running shoes?"
doi: 10.1136/bjsm.2007.038844
British Journal of Sports Medicine

Written by: Christian Nordqvist
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