“How are running shoes assessed? A systematic review of characteristics and measurement tools used to describe running footwear”

ABSTRACT Background: Many footwear characteristics are argued as risk factors for running related injuries (RRI). Several footwear assessment tools are available; however, their use in studies of RRI is unknown. Objective: This systematic review evaluated the characteristics and methods of assessing footwear in studies of RRI. Design: Five online databases were searched for studies on adult runners, in running style footwear, who experienced running-related pain or injury. The methodological quality of included articles was independently assessed by two raters using a modified Downs and Black checklist. Study and participant characteristics, footwear assessment tools used, and footwear characteristics reported were extracted for qualitative synthesis. Results: Twenty-four articles were included in the review. Low risk of bias was determined for 11 (44%) of the included studies. Twenty-eight different footwear characteristics were grouped into four categories: nomenclature, measurements, qualitative features, and subjective features. Fifteen different methods for assessing the 28 footwear characteristics were reported among the included studies. Only three methods were described previously, as valid and reliable. Conclusion: Differences in assessing footwear may mask the link between footwear characteristics and injury risk. Systematic footwear assessments and nomenclature are needed to evaluate the effects of footwear characteristics on RRI.

[1]  B. Nigg,et al.  The relationship between footwear comfort and variability of running kinematics , 2017 .

[2]  Jeffrey A Rixe,et al.  The Barefoot Debate: Can Minimalist Shoes Reduce Running-Related Injuries? , 2012, Current sports medicine reports.

[3]  N. Horvais,et al.  Evolution of perceived footwear comfort over a prolonged running session. , 2015, Foot.

[4]  J. Ioannidis,et al.  The PRISMA statement for reporting systematic reviews and meta-analyses of studies that evaluate healthcare interventions: explanation and elaboration , 2009, BMJ : British Medical Journal.

[5]  Benno M. Nigg,et al.  Improved footwear comfort reduces oxygen consumption during running , 2009 .

[6]  Isabel C N Sacco,et al.  Biomechanical variables and perception of comfort in running shoes with different cushioning technologies. , 2015, Journal of science and medicine in sport.

[7]  J. Roy,et al.  A consensus definition and rating scale for minimalist shoes , 2015, Journal of Foot and Ankle Research.

[8]  J. Hamill,et al.  Body Mass and Weekly Training Distance Influence the Pain and Injuries Experienced by Runners Using Minimalist Shoes: A Randomized Controlled Trial , 2017, The American journal of sports medicine.

[9]  Benedicte Vanwanseele,et al.  Effect of Footwear on Dancers , 2011, Journal of dance medicine & science : official publication of the International Association for Dance Medicine & Science.

[10]  Yi-Kuei Lin,et al.  Performance evaluation for a footwear manufacturing system with multiple production lines and different station failure rates , 2013 .

[11]  D. Scarborough,et al.  Injuries observed in a prospective transition from traditional to minimalist footwear: correlation of high impact transient forces and lower injury severity , 2016, The Physician and sportsmedicine.

[13]  A. Mündermann,et al.  Development of a reliable method to assess footwear comfort during running. , 2002, Gait & posture.

[14]  J. Taunton,et al.  Examining injury risk and pain perception in runners using minimalist footwear , 2013, British Journal of Sports Medicine.

[15]  D. Theisen,et al.  Influence of the Heel-to-Toe Drop of Standard Cushioned Running Shoes on Injury Risk in Leisure-Time Runners , 2016, The American journal of sports medicine.

[16]  R. J. de Asla,et al.  Injuries Observed in Minimalist Runners , 2012, Foot & ankle international.

[17]  Laurent Malisoux,et al.  Injury risk in runners using standard or motion control shoes: a randomised controlled trial with participant and assessor blinding , 2016, British Journal of Sports Medicine.

[18]  P. Lamb,et al.  Reliability of the footwear total asymmetry score tool , 2018 .

[19]  D. Morrissey,et al.  The Biomechanical Differences Between Barefoot and Shod Distance Running: A Systematic Review and Preliminary Meta-Analysis , 2013, Sports Medicine.

[20]  T G McPoil.  Athletic footwear: design, performance and selection issues. , 2000, Journal of science and medicine in sport.

[21]  Annegret Mündermann,et al.  Effect of footwear on the external knee adduction moment - A systematic review. , 2012, The Knee.

[22]  Lance Ridpath,et al.  Self-Reported Minimalist Running Injury Incidence and Severity: A Pilot Study , 2016, The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association.

[23]  K. Fisher,et al.  Defective running shoes as a contributing factor in plantar fasciitis in a triathlete. , 2000, The Journal of orthopaedic and sports physical therapy.

[24]  Sharon J Dixon,et al.  The influence of simulated wear upon the ability of insoles to reduce peak pressures during running when wearing military boots. , 2002, Gait & posture.

[25]  I. Davis,et al.  Prospective comparison of running injuries between shod and barefoot runners , 2015, British Journal of Sports Medicine.

[26]  G. Sole,et al.  Plantar pressure profiles of athletes with and without ankle sprains while walking barefoot and in sport shoes , 2016 .

[27]  I. Davis,et al.  What are the Main Risk Factors for Running-Related Injuries? , 2014, Sports Medicine.

[28]  D B Clement,et al.  A guide to the prevention of running injuries. , 1981, Australian family physician.

[29]  Bruce H Jones,et al.  Injury Reduction Effectiveness of Selecting Running Shoes Based on Plantar Shape , 2009, Journal of strength and conditioning research.

[30]  James F. Fixx,et al.  The Complete Book of Running , 1977 .

[31]  Daniel R. Bonanno,et al.  Development and evaluation of a tool for the assessment of footwear characteristics , 2009, Journal of foot and ankle research.

[32]  Carlos Dias Maciel,et al.  The Effects of Forefoot Striking, Increasing Step Rate, and Forward Trunk Lean Running on Trunk and Lower Limb Kinematics and Comfort , 2016, International Journal of Sports Medicine.

[33]  Benno M. Nigg,et al.  Der Laufschuh - Ein Mittel zur Prävention von Laufbeschwerden , 1986 .

[34]  E. Casey,et al.  A Survey of Runners' Attitudes Toward and Experiences With Minimally Shod Running , 2013, PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitation.

[35]  Stephan Milosavljevic,et al.  Patterns of mediolateral asymmetry in worn footwear , 2014 .

[36]  John Dixon,et al.  Footwear interventions: a review of their sensorimotor and mechanical effects on balance performance and gait in older adults. , 2013, Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association.

[37]  N. Black,et al.  The feasibility of creating a checklist for the assessment of the methodological quality both of randomised and non-randomised studies of health care interventions. , 1998, Journal of epidemiology and community health.

[38]  Charles Milgrom,et al.  Pattern of outsole shoe heel wear in infantry recruits , 2012, Journal of Foot and Ankle Research.

[39]  J. Sinclair,et al.  Influence of footwear designed to boost energy return on running economy in comparison to a conventional running shoe , 2016, Journal of sports sciences.

[40]  Morgan K. Anderson,et al.  Minimalist Running Shoes and Injury Risk Among United States Army Soldiers , 2016, The American journal of sports medicine.

[41]  P. Brukner,et al.  Brukner & Khan's Clinical Sports Medicine , 2011 .

[42]  B M Nigg,et al.  Relationship between footwear comfort of shoe inserts and anthropometric and sensory factors. , 2001, Medicine and science in sports and exercise.

[43]  F. Hartgens,et al.  The NLstart2run study: Incidence and risk factors of running‐related injuries in novice runners , 2015, Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports.

[44]  C Sherrington,et al.  The Footwear Assessment Form: a reliable clinical tool to assess footwear characteristics of relevance to postural stability in older adults , 2000, Clinical rehabilitation.

[45]  Blaise Dubois,et al.  Effects of minimalist and traditional running shoes on injury rates: a pilot randomised controlled trial , 2015 .

[46]  Ewald M. Hennig.  Eighteen years of running shoe testing in Germany – a series of biomechanical studies , 2011 .

[47]  Bruce H Jones,et al.  Effect on injuries of assigning shoes based on foot shape in air force basic training. , 2010, American journal of preventive medicine.

[48]  Martyn Shorten,et al.  The ‘heel impact’ force peak during running is neither ‘heel’ nor ‘impact’ and does not quantify shoe cushioning effects , 2011 .

[49]  Brett D Owens,et al.  Barefoot-simulating footwear associated with metatarsal stress injury in 2 runners. , 2011, Orthopedics.

[50]  Donald L Goss,et al.  Relationships among self-reported shoe type, footstrike pattern, and injury incidence. , 2012, U.S. Army Medical Department journal.

[51]  Jack E Taunton,et al.  The effect of three different levels of footwear stability on pain outcomes in women runners: a randomised control trial , 2010, British Journal of Sports Medicine.

[52]  J. R. Landis,et al.  An application of hierarchical kappa-type statistics in the assessment of majority agreement among multiple observers. , 1977, Biometrics.

[53]  R. Barff,et al.  ‘It's Gotta Be Da Shoes’: Domestic Manufacturing, International Subcontracting, and the Production of Athletic Footwear , 1993 .

[54]  D. Theisen,et al.  Can parallel use of different running shoes decrease running‐related injury risk? , 2015, Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports.

[55]  N. Freemantle,et al.  Do shock absorbing insoles in recruits undertaking high levels of physical activity reduce lower limb injury? A randomized controlled trial. , 2006, Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine.

[56]  B H Jones,et al.  Prevention of lower extremity stress fractures: a controlled trial of a shock absorbent insole. , 1988, American journal of public health.

[57]  Daniel Theisen,et al.  Footwear and running-related injuries – Running on faith? , 2016 .

[58]  I. Davis.  The re-emergence of the minimal running shoe. , 2014, The Journal of orthopaedic and sports physical therapy.

[59]  Bruce H Jones,et al.  Injury Reduction Effectiveness of Assigning Running Shoes Based on Plantar Shape in Marine Corps Basic Training , 2010, The American journal of sports medicine.

[60]  I. Davis,et al.  Foot strike patterns and collision forces in habitually barefoot versus shod runners , 2010, Nature.

[61]  Paul R. Langer,et al.  Minimalist shoe injuries: three case reports. , 2013, Foot.

[62]  E. Nøhr,et al.  Foot pronation is not associated with increased injury risk in novice runners wearing a neutral shoe: a 1-year prospective cohort study , 2013, British Journal of Sports Medicine.

[63]  V. Chuter,et al.  The effectiveness of shoe insoles for the prevention and treatment of low back pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials , 2014, BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders.

[64]  R. Callister,et al.  Is your prescription of distance running shoes evidence-based? , 2008, British Journal of Sports Medicine.

[65]  Tasha R. Stanton,et al.  Scales to Assess the Quality of Randomized Controlled Trials: A Systematic Review , 2008, Physical Therapy.

[66]  M. Cornwall,et al.  CAN RUNNERS PERCEIVE CHANGES IN HEEL CUSHIONING AS THE SHOE AGES WITH INCREASED MILEAGE? , 2017, International journal of sports physical therapy.

[67]  M. Schwellnus,et al.  Does running shoe prescription alter the risk of developing a running injury? : original research article , 2006 .

[68]  Stephan Milosavljevic,et al.  Exploring a model of asymmetric shoe wear on lower limb performance. , 2010, Physical therapy in sport : official journal of the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Sports Medicine.

[69]  M. Lind,et al.  Training errors and running related injuries: a systematic review. , 2012, International journal of sports physical therapy.

[70]  J. Basford,et al.  Shoe insoles in the workplace. , 1988, Orthopedics.

[71]  E. Frederick.  Kinematically mediated effects of sport shoe design: a review. , 1986, Journal of sports sciences.

[72]  S. Giannini,et al.  Foot and lower limb diseases in runners: assessment of risk factors. , 2010, Journal of sports science & medicine.

[73]  Laurent Malisoux,et al.  Influence of midsole hardness of standard cushioned shoes on running-related injury risk , 2013, British Journal of Sports Medicine.