ARE EXPENSIVE RUNNING SHOES WORTH THE PRICE?

No, according to a recently released article in The British Journal of Sports Medicine (BJSM) announcing that expensive running shoes are a waste of money. This is validation for all of us who have found through our own personal experience that cost does not always equal comfort. Perhaps, however, not such happy news for the manufacturers of high-end sports shoes.

The objective of the investigation 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. Three pairs of running shoes were purchased from three different shoe companies at three different price ranges: low, £40-45 (around $82 to $93); medium, £60-65 (around $124 to $135); and high £70-75 (around $144 to $155). A device called a Pedar measured and recorded the in-shoe plantar pressure. Comfort was assessed with a 100 mm visual analogue scale. While the 43 participants ran on a treadmill, a follow-up study was then conducted to see if shoe cushioning and comfort were comparable to walking.

The scientists concluded 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. And get this—the researchers also announced that “comfort is a subjective sensation based on individual preferences and was not related to either the [measured] distribution of plantar pressure or cost.” Hmmm-mm … I could have told them that.

The study took place at the Institute of Motion Analysis & Research, University of Dundee, UK. The conclusions of this study were accepted by BJSM in August of 2007 and published in their Online First entity on the Internet in October, 2007. The authors of the study are Richard Thomas Clinghan, Graham P. Arnold, Tim S. Drew, Lynda Cochrane and Rami J. Abboud.

For more information click on www.bjsm.bmj.com.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Disclaimer: The purpose of this weblog is not to dispense medical advice nor in any way is meant to be construed as diagnostic or prescriptive. Always check with your physician before beginning any new program or trying any of the items discussed in the posts that appear on this site.