"Barefoot" Footwear

Is your prescription of distance running shoes evidence-based?

By Al Gauthier ⋅ May 3, 2009 ⋅  Email This Post ⋅ Post a comment

Is your prescription of distance running shoes evidence-based?

Richards CE, Magin PJ, Callister R.

PMID: 18424485 [PubMed - in process]

Discipline of General Practice, Bowman Building, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan 2308, Australia. craig.richards@newcastle.edu.au

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether the current practice of prescribing distance running shoes featuring elevated cushioned heels and pronation control systems tailored to the individual’s foot type is evidence-based. DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE (1950-May 2007), CINAHL (1982-May 2007), EMBASE (1980-May 2007), PsychInfo (1806-May 2007), Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (2(nd) Quarter 2007), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled trials (2(nd) Quarter 2007), SPORTSDiscus (1985-May 2007) and AMED (1985-May 2007). Review METHODS: English language articles were identified via keyword and medical subject headings (MeSH) searches of the above electronic databases. With these searches and the subsequent review process, controlled trials or systematic reviews were sought in which the study population included adult recreational or competitive distance runners, the exposure was distance running, the intervention evaluated was a running shoe with an elevated cushioned heel and pronation control systems individualised to the wearer’s foot type, and the outcome measures included either running injury rates, distance running performance, osteoarthritis risk, physical activity levels, or overall health and wellbeing. The quality of these studies and their findings were then evaluated. RESULTS: No original research that met the study criteria was identified either directly or via the findings of the six systematic reviews identified. CONCLUSION: The prescription of this shoe type to distance runners is not evidence-based.

Download and Listen to any Audiobook for only $7.49. Save 50% for 3 months on over 75,000 Titles.

___________________________________________________________________________

Featured Interview: Christopher McDougall – Author of Born to Run

Buy His Book: Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen
Download the Audible Audiobook

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

0 Hours, 54 Minutes, 32 Seconds Download mp3 - Click Here (Size )

(Find “Living Barefoot” in iTunes and download it onto your iPod / iPhone or listen online

Keep Yourself Connected:

Subscribe to our Twitter Feed, Listen to or download our Podcasts, subscribe to our RSS feed, or Subscribe to our email updates.

Recent Minimalist Shoe Reviews: Stay updated by being notified when we release a new reviews. Subscribe Here.

© 2009 Living Barefoot .

Privacy Policy | Disclaimer / Reader and Listener Agreement

Call us @ 1-888-868-2198