„We are drowning in information but starving of wisdom.“ (E. O. Wilson)
Feet and footwear: applying biological design and mismatch theory to running injuries.
Many areas of modern ‘science’ are characterised by lack of consensus and equivocal findings, with the latest ‘understanding’ often changing on a weekly basis with the latest new piece of research. Running injury causes and cures and the effects of footwear on these is a prime example of an area lacking both context and consensus. The failure to dismiss new research findings and footwear fads that cannot be replicated and/or make no sense against undisputed scientific laws is the explanation for this confusion. In an attempt to bring clarity to those wishing to make evidence-based choices, but whom are currently drowning in information, we (Lee Saxby, Mick Wilkinson und I) recently published an opinion paper in the International Journal of Sports and Exercise Medicine
Using old fashioned scientific reasoning i.e. making deductions from undisputed laws and first principles, the paper presents a summary of evidence supporting that while adapted for stability and shock absorption in running, both the structure and function of the human foot can be compromised by modern, narrow, stiff and heavily cushioned footwear. The paper presents evidence that the loss of biologically normal foot structure and function caused by the design features of modern footwear is an unrecognised cause of running-related injury.
The key points of the paper are:
Read the paper in full and for free here:
https://clinmedjournals.org/articles/ijsem/international-journal-of-sports-and-exercise-medicine-ijsem-4-090.pdf
