Does Running In Super Shoes Cause Injuries?

Finding the best ways to reduce injuries in runners is challenging and frustrating work. And it is something so important that coaches, researchers, shoe companies, and runners all must work together to find the best ways to reduce injuries. That is why the newly published research on the potential for injuries in Super Shoes (or "advanced footwear technology") is so important that we have to share it with you in the Better Shoes Blog. Let's figure out how to make carbon plated Super Shoes better by understanding this new research.

Before we dive into the details, please take a look at this short video that summarizes the findings.

Medical professionals and coaches are often the "canaries in the coal mine" when it comes to injuries in athletes. When they see a pattern of injuries occuring, they initiate the conversation with other professionals about a potential problem. The Heeluxe research team began to hear about mid-foot stress fractures in runners wearing Super Shoes in 2022.

The Conversation Starter

When the scientific opinion article Bone Stress Injuries in Runners Using Carbon Fiber Plate Footwear | Sports Medicine (springer.com) came out in early 2023, the topic of midfoot stress fractures in Super Shoes became common place in our meeting with running shoe brands and at scientific conferences. This article documents the case studies of 4 elite level runners (2 junior and 2 masters) that ran habitually in Super Shoes and developed midfoot stress fractures. The authors are clear in their summary that these are rare injuries, but the running community should be aware of this and should commit more research into this topic. Reactions to this paper were mixed. However, the paper succeeded in starting a dialogue.

The More You Know...

Earlier this month another scientific research paper was published that included findings that relate to midfoot stress fractures in Super Shoes. The paper Injury and performance-related running biomechanics in advanced footwear technology compared to minimalist footwear: Footwear Science: Vol 16, No 2 (tandfonline.com) was published in September 2024. This paper analyzes changes in the running stride of collegiate runners when wearing a carbon plated Super Shoe (VaporFly Next %) and a minimal shoe (Minimus 10v2). There were a few significant changes in the runners. The most important finding relating to stress fractures is the Super Shoe demonstrated an increase the "Maximum Eversion Excursion" (in laymans terms-the side to side motion of the ankle from where it first lands in a rolled out position to a rolled in position, sometimes referred to as supination to pronation).

Maximum Eversion Excursion has been shown in runners with a history of navicular stress fractures.

This research article suggests that the increase in Maximal Eversion Excursion shown in Super Shoes could increase the chance of navicular stress fracture in runners.

Should You Stop Running in Super Shoes?

NO. These injuries are still very rare and more research is required to fully understand the connection between shoe selection and stress fracture risk.

Does These Findings Only Apply To Running Shoes?

NO. Many types of shoes are influenced by running Super Shoes. Work boots, Hiking boots, Soccer cleats, Walking shoes, and Golf shoes are using advanced foams, thick soles, and carbon plates similar to Super Shoes. We are not aware of any increased incidence of navicular stress fractures in these other categories of shoes. Heeluxe recommends that medical professionals are sharing any increase in stress fractures for their patients wearing these shoes.

What Do We Need To Do Next?

There are a few things that we can all work on together:

1. Coaches and medical professionals must be aware that midfoot stress fractures could be occurring in their runners. This injury is so challenging to diagnose. Communication between the runner, their coaching team, and their medical support is the best start to identifying a stress fracture.
2. We recommend that runners rotate the shoes that they are running in. Use super shoes in races and selected training runs, then alternate with different shoes for your other runs. Rotating running shoes has been shown to reduce the risk of running injuries.
3. Not all Super Shoes may increase Maximum Eversion Excursion. More research is needed on this topic. Heeluxe is working on growing a database for this measurement in super shoes and we hope other footwear research labs will join in this effort.
4. Footwear brands should consider Maximum Eversion Excursion and how to reduce it in the design of their shoes. All new samples of Super Shoes should be tested to analyze Maximum Eversion Excursion as well.

Heeluxe looks forward to keeping this conversation alive with you. Please share your thoughts/feedback with us (info@heeluxe.com) and share this blog with anyone that you believe will find it valuable. Let's make better shoes!

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