The study found that these shoes may put you at greater risk for running injuries

Here’s some news that might be helpful for both long-time runners and those thinking about picking up the habit in the new year. Scientists have recently found evidence that the thickness of the heel of your shoes can affect your risk of injury.

Researchers at the University of Florida conducted the study aimed at better understanding the risk factors that lead to running injuries. They found that people who wore thick-heeled shoes were more likely to be injured recently while running. The findings suggest that thick shoes make it difficult for people to gauge how much their feet hit the ground while running, researchers say, an inaccuracy that may then contribute to injury.

Some studies have indicated that both The thickness of our shoes And how we have Feet landing on the ground (also known as our foot strike pattern) can be a risk factor for running injuries. But researchers at UF’s Center for Healthy Sports Performance wanted to get a better idea of ​​how these two things interact with each other to make running more dangerous. So they went back and looked at data collected from more than 700 runners who visited their clinic over the years to improve their performance or their chances of preventing injury.

After taking into account factors such as age, weight or level of competitiveness, the researchers noticed several consistent trends. People who wore thick-heeled shoes were more likely to have had a running-related injury in the last six months, and were less able to correctly predict their foot strike pattern (runners were asked about their usual running pattern, and then their predictions were made). operation measured objectively by the clinic).

While running, people hit the ground either with the back, front, or middle of their feet. The researchers found that non-background runners who knew their running pattern accurately were the least likely to report having been hurt recently, while those who did not know their running pattern at all were the most likely to report injury. Meanwhile, back-footed runners were more likely to incorrectly guess their pattern, especially if they were wearing thick-heeled shoes. The team’s findings were published Last month in the magazine Limits in sports and active living.

Researchers say the results only show a relationship between heel thickness and running injury, and it’s not clear whether heel thickness directly increases injury risk. As with other aspects of running, it can potentially be complicated. some research He noted that running on the forefoot is healthier or helps prevent injury than running on the back foot, for example Other research He didn’t do that.

It may be the case that the best ways to prevent injury while running depend largely on the individual runner. So, although thick shoes may not directly increase injury risk, they may make it difficult for people to know which running style is best for them in the long term, researchers say.

“The shoe sits between the foot and the ground, and features such as a large heel that extends from heel to toe make it more difficult for runners to determine how they are hitting the ground,” lead researcher Heather Vincent, director of the Center for Healthy Athletic Performance at the University of Florida, said in her report. “That obscures how to retrain people or determine if someone is at risk for future infection.” statement. “Runners who correctly detected strike from the mid- or forefoot wore very different shoes: lower heel-to-toe; lighter weight; wider toe box.”

However, trying to switch to a different style of shoe or running too fast can itself increase the risk of injury, according to UF researchers. This pattern was true in this current study, as people who had recently switched shoes were more likely to report a recent injury. So any major change in running should be made gradually, Vincent points out.

“I had to teach myself how to get rid of big, high-heeled shoes and move toward something with more moderate cushioning and work on strengthening the foot,” she said. “It can take up to six months for it to become normal. It’s a process.”

Vincent and her team next plan to conduct controlled studies to test whether changing the type of shoe can help improve people’s accuracy in running technique and reduce the risk of injury. From here, they may be able to discover the best ways to reduce injuries for all types of runners.