Costly Kicks Unnecessary

Making News:

From flashy sports cars to name-brand clothing, when the numbers on the price tag skyrocket, it is often assumed that value follows. Not necessarily true for running shoes, says a small study published online ahead of print in the British Journal of Sports Medicine (2007; doi: 10.1136/bjsm.2007.038844). The focus of the study was “to determine if more expensive running shoes provide better cushioning of plantar pressure and are more comfortable than low-cost alternatives from the same brand.”

Using a Pedar® in-shoe pressure measurement system to assess pressure from under the heel, across the forefoot and under the big toe, analysts gathered results for low-, medium- and high-cost shoes. The scientists then did a follow-up study—involving 43 participants who were unaware of the price points—to evaluate the shoes’ performance during walking and running on a treadmill. The outcome determined that “low- and medium-cost running shoes in each of the three brands tested provided the same (if not better) cushioning of plantar pressure as high-cost running shoes.” No difference was discovered between walking and running.