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High heels shoes are better than running shoes for joints: A study.
– Reported, October 06, 2012
A new study on joint health may make you think twice before lacing up.
The University of Virginia-based study, which was published in the journal of American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, found that running shoes actually put more strain on your knees than a pair of high heels, reports
LiveScience news service.
According to Live Science, Dr. D. Casey Kerrigan of University of Virginia noticed that running shoes have elevated heels. Though the heels are less extreme than stilettos, she was inspired to measure the damage sneakers can do to joints.
The study included 37 women and 31 men who ran at least 15 miles a week. Researchers equipped the subjects with markers on their knees, hips and ankles, as the subject ran on a treadmill both barefoot and in running shoes.
The specialized treadmill enabled scientists to analyze the impact placed on joints with every step, and they were especially interested in measuring the torque, or twisting of joints, around the knees, which can cause osteoarthritis.
What they found was that there was a 30% increase in torque when the subjects wore running shoes as opposed to running barefoot. This is higher than the torque increase when women wear heels, which typically increases 20% to 26%.
While those results may make running barefoot seem more appealing, Kerrigan warns against it, as crucial sneaker features like arch support can protect feet and ward off other injuries like shin splints.
“I’m concerned, I don’t think this study should promote running barefoot. I think people should run in what they feel most comfortable running in … and whether that’s in a pair of running shoes or in a minimum kind of running shoe, that’s just fine,” she told LiveScience. “You run on something hard, your body has to work that much harder to help absorb those forces, and that can lead to stresses and strain, wear and tear, really throughout the whole body.”
Kerrigan is now working with JKM Technologies, LLC to develop a patented running shoe thats safer for joints.
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