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8 January 2010

Are you running the risk of injury?

Running shoes put more strain on your joints than running barefoot, according to research published this week.

Researchers used 68 healthy adult runners to find out whether running shoes put more torsion (a twisting force) on the knee, hip and ankle joints compared to running barefoot.

Each runner was asked to run barefoot and in running shoes on a treadmill at a comfortable pace. The researchers filmed them running and measured joint torsion on their knee, hip and ankle joints by placing reflective markers on each joint.

The researchers found that wearing running shoes increased joint torsion at the hip, knee and ankle compared with running barefoot. They believe that increased joint torsion at the knee when wearing running shoes could potentially increase the amount of work the thigh muscles need to do, put strain on the knee tendons and put pressure across the knee joint. The researchers suggest that this could lead to knee osteoarthritis or injury.

This research does not prove that running barefoot is better for you than in trainers.

Dr Annabel Bentley, assistant medical director for Bupa

Dr Annabel Bentley, assistant medical director for Bupa said: "This research does not prove that running barefoot is better for you than in trainers. It is not possible to draw firm conclusions from this study."

Although this study has several weaknesses, it highlights the stresses that the joints are under when doing high-impact exercise. It is important that you wear running shoes that fit your feet correctly to prevent injury. If you are concerned about whether your shoes are right for running, it is a good idea to take them along to a specialist running shop for advice.

Key facts
  • Running shoes are important for running, even for beginners. You should invest in some proper running shoes to help prevent injury.
  • Running is a high-impact sport. Unless your feet are well cushioned with shock absorbing materials, the repeated impact on your legs can lead to injury.
  • The most common running injuries are the result of overuse or overtraining and are usually combined with a problem in the way your body moves (biomechanics).

 Common running overuse injuries include the following.

  • Runner's knee - a problem in the knee cap causing pain.
  • Ilio-tibial band friction syndrome (ITBFS) - a sharp burning pain on the outside of the knee or thigh after running a certain distance.
  • Shin splints - pain along the shin bone (tibia).
  • Stress fractures - these commonly occur in the shin (tibia), thigh (femur) and foot (metatarsal) bones.
  • Plantar fasciitis - pain in the arch of the foot when you put weight on it.
  • Achilles tendinopathy - pain in the Achilles tendon.
  • Muscle strains - small tears and damage to the muscles, mainly in the calf or hamstring.

Related information

Read the studies

Kerrigan DC, Franz JR, Keenan GS, et al. The effect of running shoes on lower extremity joint torques. The journal of injury, function and rehabilitation 2009; 1:1058-63. DOI: 10.1016/j.pmrj.2009.09.011

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