London - Old-fashioned plimsoll shoes with flat soles are better for children's feet than modern cushioned trainers because they teach them to run in a more natural manner on the front part of the foot, scientists say.
The trend towards highly cushioned trainers with thick heels makes it more difficult for young people to learn to run using the front of the foot, which causes less impact than striking the ground with the heel, they found.
Once children become accustomed to running in trainers they find it difficult to learn to run more naturally, said Mick Wilkinson, a sport and exercise scientist at Northumbria University in Newcastle.
“If I was to advise someone on what to give their child, I would say don't buy them expensive Adidas or Nike big-cushioned jobs, just get them a pair of flexible, flat shoes,” Dr Wilkinson said. “Give them basic footwear, nothing fancy, nothing structured, nothing particularly cushioned. There is a lot of evidence that the human foot is structured to cope with the forces of running by landing on the mid-foot.”
Dr Wilkinson told the British Science Festival in Newcastle: “If someone is going to learn to run from first principles, let them learn using their natural equipment as much as possible,”
Cushioned trainers have become a universal fashion item for young people but they are not necessarily the best footwear for children who want to take up sports and running, he said.
Studies have shown that the human foot is designed for long-distance running, but only if the runner lands on the front part of the foot rather than the heel, which causes repeated impact shocks. This is the main reason why barefoot running is becoming more popular among some long-distance runners.
“Lots of people are trying barefoot running. It is massive in America and it's starting to come over here now,” Dr Wilkinson said. “The body has in-built, impact-avoidance reflexes that are triggered by sensations through the sole of the feet. That leads you to cushion the landing naturally.”
Up to 20 percent of runners using modern running shoes will develop injuries associated with the repetitive impact of striking the heel on the ground, such as stress fractures in the foot and leg, Dr Wilkinson said. “Injury rates in running have not changed since the 1970s, despite claims of improvements in running shoes. That has led some to conclude barefoot running is better,” he told the festival. “There has been a suggestion barefoot running, or the technique of running they adopt, could alter the impact forces and reduce injury risk.”
Barefoot running requires people to carefully train themselves over a long period to run differently so they do not damage themselves, but if children can be encouraged to wear simple, flat shoes this would at least help to avoid much of the damage caused by cushioned trainers, Dr Wilkinson concluded. - The Independent