Cheap running shoes are better, claims new study

New research claims that expensive running shoes are a waste of money and may lead to increased injury.

Cheap and moderately priced running shoes are just as good, if not better, in terms of cushioning impact and overall comfort, concludes the study led by Prof R J Abboud, Institute of Motion Analysis and Research at Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, University of Dundee, Scotland.

"Running produces sizeable shock waves to the bones of the foot, which radiate to other bones in the body. The force of the impact increases with speed and distance. Consequently, runners are prone to knee pain, stress fractures, muscle tears and osteoarthritis. The type of cushioning in the soles of running shoes aims to prevent this damage, with expensive trainers deemed to be most effective." So the researchers compared nine pairs of training shoes, bought from three different manufacturers, in three different price ranges.

The cheapest pairs were priced at £40 to £45 ($80-90), with the moderate range costing £60 to £65 $120-130). The three most expensive pairs cost £70 to £75 ($140-150).

Participants were not told how much any of the shoes cost. Researchers recorded plantar pressure - the force produced by the impact of the sole hitting the ground -- in eight different areas of the sole, using a special device (the Pedar) attached to the shoes. Different models performed differently for different areas of the foot. But, overall, there were no major differences among the shoes, irrespective of brand or price. In fact, plantar pressure was lower in the cheap to moderately priced shoes, although this difference was not statistically significant.

Runners were also asked to rate the comfort of the shoes from "least" to "most comfortable imaginable," using a validated graded scale. Comfort ratings varied considerably, but there were no obvious differences among the shoes. And price was no indicator of comfort score.

Writing in the British Journal of Sport Medicine online, Dr Abboud stated: "It would appear from the shoes studied that performance, in terms of cushioning, is not related to cost.

"In fact plantar pressure [impact on the sole of the foot] was lower overall in low and medium-cost shoes.

"Even though this difference is small, it may be significant over time with repetitive impact.

"This may suggest less expensive running shoes not only provide as much protection from impact force as expensive running shoes, but that in actual fact they may also provide more."

Rating the trainers for comfort, volunteers found the cheap makes were the equal of their pricier counterparts. Dr Abboud told the Daily Mail that the trainers were from three of the biggest manufacturers, saying: "They are shoes that consumers will buy off the shelf of any sports shop."

However, he said he would not reveal the makes until he had conducted further tests on the wider athletic shoe market.

Dr Abboud said that he had also conducted similar tests on even more expensive trainers up to £150 - which found even they were no better for the feet.

Asked why more expensive trainers seemed not to gain better ratings, Dr Abboud said: "That is a question for the manufacturers. Is it the design, or the material, or just the publicity and the marketing?

"There is a perception that if you pay more, you get more, but that is highly questionable."

He added that trainers of all prices were usually made with similar materials in the same factories in China.

Dr Abboud said that his research was supported by previous findings that found wearing shoes that boasted advanced safety features in fact often led to runners suffering greater injuries.

He said: "It has been suggested that the advertising of advanced safety features and protective devices of more expensive running shoes is deceptive; runners subconsciously subject themselves to greater impact forces, thereby increasing the risk of injury.

"This accounted for a 123% greater injury frequency observed amongst runners who trained in expensive running shoes compared with those running in less expensive models or brands."

* Clinghan R et al, Do you get value for money when you buy an expensive pair of running shoes? British Journal of Sports Medicine 2007, published online first.