The effect of running style and advanced footwear technology on performance and injury risk

Background:
Advanced footwear technology (AFT) shoes have been shown to improve running economy and are implied in the large number of athletics world records broken in recent years. In a previous CIF financed project a battery of tests investigated whether individual characteristics (anthropometric, muscle tendon specific) correlate to improvements in running economy. However, a large database describing running technique is still missing and would assist in understanding how to best utilise the performance enhancing characteristics of AFT shoes. No research has been published which attempts to specifically benefit world class athletes in increasing performance and minimising injury risk. The expertise in this research group and the established infrastructure provide prerequisites for answering these questions.

Main questions:
1. Can a large (100+ participants) database of running biomechanics in AFT vs non-AFT shoes be realistically established using state of the art biomechanical methods?
2. How do running style and lower leg biomechanics differ in AFT vs non-AFT shoes in such a large cohort?
3. Does the combination of AFT shoes and running style correlate to improved running economy in top international class runners?
4. Can a longitudinal monitoring of running biomechanics contribute to improved performance and decreased injury risk for top international runners when running in AFT shoes.

Workplan and methods:
Questions 1 and 2 will be investigated during 2025 by recruiting recreational runners for biomechanical testing in the Biomechanics and Motor Control (BMC) laboratory at GIH. Questions 3 and 4 will begin in 2025 and continue after that in collaboration with the Swedish Athletics Federation. They have expressed interest in co-funding a PhD student together with GIH and this longitudinal research and monitoring is expected to proceed longer than this project as part of the PhD. Sweden's top international athletes are expected to be recruited.

Importance for research area:
Understanding the relationship between running style and performance enhancement of AFT shoes will benefit runners at all levels in their choice of equipment and training. A database of the size intended in this project has not been investigated previously. An attempt to longitudinally address top athletes' performance related to AFT shoes has not previously been conducted. This project has considerable potential for internationally recognised Swedish sport science research.

Top resultat i elitlöpning domineras av atleter i skor med advanced footwear technology (AFT) eller som de kallas i medierna: "superskor". Skorna har material med hög energiåterföring och en styv platta i sulan. Forskargruppen har i samarbete med det internationella friidrottsförbundet World Athletics, arbetat med att mäta skornas mekaniska egenskaper och dess relation med förbättrad löpekonomi.

Den biomekaniska forskningen ska nu utvecklas med mätning av löpstil på ett unikt stort kohort av över 100 motionslöpare för att svarar på hur löpstil och superskor bidrar till löpekonomi. Dessutom ska svenska elitlöpare följas för att förstår samma frågan i denna exklusiva grupp, och för att kunna följa samspelet mellan skor, löpstil och prestation och skador i dessa löpare över flera år.