You're standing in front of the shoe wall at the sports store, overwhelmed by the options: stability, maximum cushioning, minimalist, anti-pronation... Salespeople and advertisements promise that the right shoe will prevent injuries. With prices ranging from $100 to $300, this decision can seem stressful.

• Highly cushioned shoes increase ground impact speed (injury factor)¹
• Anti-pronation technologies have not been proven to be effective in preventing injury.
• A minimalist index of 60-70% is recommended for most runners.
• If you are not currently injured, do not change your shoes.

This article will help you make an informed choice without breaking the bank. To optimize your stride, check out our guide to running technique.

What shoes should you wear for running?

• For most runners, the following criteria should guide shoe selection:

The most important criterion is comfort.

• A minimalist index of at least 60-70% (to understand the minimalist index: https://lacliniqueducoureur.com/indice-minimaliste/ )
• No support technology such as anti-pronation.
• Be lightweight and flexible.
• Respect the natural shape of the foot without compressing the toes.

Here are also some elements to consider:

• The price of the shoe is in no way correlated with quality, comfort, or injury prevention.
• If you are not injured and do not want to improve your performance, do NOT change anything!
• If you are starting to run, you should get shoes with a minimalist index of at least 60-70% and carefully manage your progression with these shoes.
• If you decide to switch to more minimalist shoes, you should do so gradually to avoid injuries. For every 10-20% increase in the minimalist index, you should allow about a month for adaptation. So, if you go from 30% to 100%, this should be done over about 7 months. This is also true when going from 90% to 20%.
• The more you wear heavily cushioned shoes, the more likely you are to run with long strides (large steps) and strike the ground violently with your heel. These two behaviors increase the rate of impact force on the ground, which is correlated with injuries.

To learn more

You can listen to the podcast "Parle-moi de santé" produced by one of our physiotherapists, Alexis Gougeon. Episode #1 discusses running.

Episode #1: Discusses prevention and treatment of running injuries.

Find the episode on YouTube:

Click below to listen to episodes on podcast platforms:

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Sources

• Kulmala JP (2018). Running in highly cushioned shoes increases leg stiffness and amplifies impact loading. Scientific reports.
• Clinghan R (2008). Do you get value for money when you buy an expensive pair of running shoes?. British Journal of Sports Medicine.

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