Want healthy knees? Try barefoot running

Jan 15, 2010 12:19 PM

When the much-loved pair of Adidas sneakers I’d worn all through college finally fell to pieces, I took myself to a store specializing in running shoes. I was asked to jog on a treadmill while the staff scrutinized a TV feed showing a close-up of my feet. The video, they told me, proved that I needed a particular style of running shoes. Which just happened to be more expensive than the first pair I’d picked out.

I bought the shoes, despite suspecting that the whole business had been a piece of theatre. After all, a good pair of sneakers can help prevent injuries, can’t they? Not necessarily, according to a new study. Research shows that, despite changes in footwear design, injury rates from running haven’t changed much over the years. To put running shoes to the test, researchers monitored 68 volunteers, measuring the stress their joints were under as they ran on a treadmill, either in sneakers or bare feet.

Compared with going barefoot, the sneakers added to the twisting forces on people’s joints by up to 54 percent. The biggest differences were seen at the hip and knee joints. The researchers don’t talk about why running shoes put more stress on the joints, but it’s possible that people adapted their running style when going barefoot, taking more care to lessen the impact because of the lack of cushioning.

Previous research shows that walking in high heels increases the strain on joints by between 20 and 26 percent. The researchers didn’t look at whether the extra stress on joints led to injuries, but barefoot running enthusiasts say that, without padding from shoes, you get a better sense of when you’re tired or about to injure yourself, making you better able to respect your body’s limits.

While I’m not sure I’d be willing to risk barefoot running at my local park, you could always give it a try on a treadmill if you’re curious, although you may get a few strange looks from other gym members.

What you need to know. There’s not much research on the type of sneakers that are best for reducing injuries. You may have particular needs, either because of your chosen sport, or because of the shape of your feet, so it may be a case of finding something that suits you.

—Philip Wilson, patient editor, BMJ Group

ConsumerReportsHealth.org has partnered with The BMJ Group to monitor the latest medical research and assess the evidence to help you decide which news you should use.

Find out what to look for when shopping for the perfect running shoe and what we consider when testing running shoes. And for more tips and tools to help you reach your fitness goals this year, take a look at our do-it-yourself exercise and dieting guide.